More Like Her
by ROCkER.JACkSON
Summary: Pregnant with one man's child and marrying another, Sam's life becomes more complicated when she falls in love with the man she's about to marry. She hopes that he'll fall for her too, later on down the line. What she had not counted on was the return of his true love. A woman that was everything he wants, but who only sees him as a friend. If only Sam could be more like her.
1. Chapter 1

**Wedding bells are ringing, the sun is shining, this should be the happiest day of her life. All around her are family and friends, gathered to witness her union with one of Port Charles's most eligible bachelors. Though in regard to Jason Morgan (her soon-to-be husband) the term is used rather loosely. **

**With his questionable background and even more questionable career, he wasn't exactly on every woman's ideal marriage list. ****Of course, there were those who didn't care about his dangerous lifestyle, only looking at his connections amongst polite society. **

**Though Jason refuses to stake a claim into his biological family -the Quartermaines- there are those who wouldn't mind taking claim of it for him. Being the loyal type, the Quartermaines would gladly take any part of their son's life that they could get their hands on, his future wife and children at the top of that list.**

**It wasn't like that for her though. A one night stand turned awry, she had been stuck not with the man that got her pregnant with the man's best friend. At first she had thought it was ludicrous. What kind of man would take on the responsibility of a child that wasn't his? That was before she got to know him. Before she spent real time with him and ultimately fell head over heels.**

**Then she returned. The embodiment of his desires and unrequited love. With her long brunette hair -thick wild curls- and her dark features that made her seem innocent yet mysterious. Just the way she carried herself, it made Samantha McCall hate her like no other. How she acted like she had no problems with anyone. Even going as far as to make nice with her.**

**The worst part of all is that she was sincere. She really didn't know the kind of affect she had on people. The kind of affect she had on Jason. More so, the kind of affect she had on her. One look at the woman and Sam had been envious. For someone so young, untouched by the world (or so Sam thought), she knew things Sam could only wish of knowing.**

**She knows who she is, what she wants, what her future should hold. The only thing she didn't seem to know, the one thing Sam knew all too well, was that she held the heart of the man Sam would soon marry. The heart of the man that Sam wishes she could have to keep. But it wasn't hers and she knew it. She knew it from the moment that woman came back to town. Hell, she probably knew it from the start.**

**Yet she convinced herself, like she always does, she convinced herself that she'd be enough. That she could help him let go, move on from a love that never was, a friendship that would never go any further than what it is and always would be. Unfortunately for her, fate had another idea entirely, leaving her in the dust as always. All because of one woman. All because her.**

- 5 Months Ago -

The Nurses' Ball. It was the day that they decided to make public their impending nuptials. Sam could see that Jason wasn't exactly thrilled with announcing to the world that he would be getting married. He hated having his personal life in the public eye, but he knew it had to be done. Since her relationship with Sonny had been public knowledge, they needed the world to know that the baby she's carrying is Jason's not Sonny's even though it wasn't.

He's cleaning his gun almost meticulously so silent as always. She's standing at the stairs, a small smile on her face like always, just watching him. The stone cold exterior used to make her frustrated and irritable leading them to fight more often than not. Of course she'd do most of the arguing while he just stood there, eyeing her like she was a bore. Now, though, it was calming. Now that she understands the man beneath the solid exterior.

"Are you planning on getting ready?" Jason voices, catching her by surprise. "We're going to have to be there in the beginning to..."

"Announce the wedding and not take away from the purpose of the event." Sam cuts him of, having heard this many times in the last week. "I know. I'm filling up the tub."

That was the end of his side of the conversation, returning to cleaning his gun to take with him later that night. Sam stands there for a moment longer, watching him as he finished wiping down his gun, before walking back up to her room and taking a bath.

She had been drying her hair when a knock sounded at the door. Sliding into her robe, Sam walked out to the top of the stairs, curiosity taking hold of her. The voice that floats up to her is one that she recognizes, Johnny O'Brien. One of the guards that positively couldn't stand her. She wasn't sure what it was, but he just didn't like her.

"Everything's set for tonight." Johnny informs Jason, there was a cautious tone to his voice, the tone he uses when he thinks she's listening in. "There's something you should know."

"What is it?" Jason sets his gun down, standing up at the look on Johnny's face. "Spit it out."

"She's back." Johnny's voice held an edge, prompting her to peek out, needing to see Jason's face. "She's going to be there tonight with Robin."

"She said she might come back." Jason sighs, Sam could see he was affected by whoever this "she" was. "I didn't realize she made a choice."

"How're you going to handle this?" Johnny felt for his friend, wondering if he had thought this through.

"She knows." Jason says plainly, walking over to the wet bar, unknowingly forcing Sam to hide. "I told her the moment we all decided I should marry Sam."

"How did she take the news?"

"How do you think?" Jason counters, downing a shot of tequila. "She congratulated me and said she hoped I knew what I was doing."

"That must have stung." Johnny walks over to sit on the arm of the club chair. "After all this time and still nothing."

"We're friends. That's it." Jason states, hating to rehash this, even if its only with Johnny. "No matter what, I still have that and its enough."

"If you say so." Johnny shrugs, standing up and walking towards the door. "Let me know if you need anything else."

Sam fought off the tears that threatened to form, she knew that tone in his voice, its a tone she wished he'd use with her. Whoever this "she" was, she obviously meant a lot to him, more than she knew. Inching her way back to her room, Sam gets ready for the night, knowing that she would meet this "she" at the Nurses' Ball if she showed.

"Sam." Jason knocks on the door. "Ten more minutes."

"Almost done." Sam calls back, taking a deep breath as she looks at herself in the mirror. "Beautiful. Time to knock 'em dead."

Walking downstairs in his Armani suit, Jason checks to make sure his gun is loaded before securing it at the small of his back. Tonight is important to a lot of people he cared about, making it important to him, and he wanted to make sure nothing from the business could touch it.

Sam joins him soon after, heading out of the penthouse to the limo downstairs, getting into it along with Sonny and Carly. The blonde hated her, not that Sam blames her, she is pregnant with her husband's child. Though to the public it was Jason's, the four of them knew the truth. Making it a little tense in that small space.

Arriving at the Nurses' Ball, they file out of the limo, linking arms with their respective dates before walking into the hotel. Sam has grown used to the stares that they receive once they enter the event. When it comes to Jason and Sonny, people just couldn't help but stare. Though they are frowned upon by most of polite society, they still are at awe of their presence, wanting to be part of it and hating themselves for wanting it.

Jason had Carly announce the impending wedding, the blonde had to win an award for the act she put on, making it truly seem like she was happy for them. Sam knew better though, she knew that the Carly wished to God that she didn't exist. That she never walked into her perfect little life.

Congratulations are passed around before the Nurses' Ball went underway. Jason escorted her to their table, one that they shared with Sonny and Carly of course, heaven forbid the man spent any time alone with her in public. She knows where he stands, that the marriage was in name only, but it wasn't like he hated her. Not anymore anyway. She's pretty sure that he likes her by now.

Seated in their seats, Sam watches Jason's gaze as its directed to the guards by the door. She wonders what they were silently communicating, then she sees Johnny gesture to the bar and it was abundantly clear. A woman she had never met before is standing by one she has met, Robin Scorpio. The keynote speaker of the event, one that everyone listened to with great respect in regard to HIV. The woman beside her had to be none other than the "she" that was discussed earlier.

"You want something to drink?" Jason pulls her out of her observation of the "she".

"Club soda." Sam says reluctantly, knowing he'd get up regardless of whether or not she asked for a drink. Asking for one gave her the hope that he wouldn't stay there too long.

"Sonny? Carly?" Jason looks at them intently.

"Whiskey neat." Sonny says, knowing exactly why he was going to the bar, having spotted both women earlier.

"You know what I like." Carly says, leaning against Sonny, his arm wrapped around her. "Tell muffin I said hi."

Jason stands up, taking a deep breath, before walking over to the bar. Sam watches as he gets to the women, Robin is the first to greet Jason. She wraps her arms around him in a friendly way, a small smile on her lips as she talks to him. Then, to Sam's displeasure, she walks off, leaving Jason with the woman.

The exchange between them is warmer, a deeper connection evident in the way they look at each other. He hesitates for a moment before he wraps his arms around her, holding her close as if possessively. It hurt to watch the exchange, clearing seeing the depth of Jason's feelings for the woman. It was abundantly clear for all to see, luckily no one else was watching the two or no one would believe that Jason gave an ounce of care for her.

"Sucks to be you." Carly mutters low enough for Sam to hear. "That love right there is unbreakable."

Sam doesn't bother responding, she's too busy watching the exchange at the bar. The smile on Jason's face, its warm and beautiful, reaching his eyes as he looks at the woman. Elegance personified and Sam already knows she hates her. Anyone that can capture Jason's attention so completely, Sam definitely hates her. But mostly, she hates that she's envious of her. Wishing she could hold Jason's attention the way she has. Hating that Jason didn't love her the way he obviously loves the "she".

**A/N: The last story we did together didn't turn out that well. We're hoping this will work out better.**

**Please review. Help us make this story amazing! All reviews welcome.**

**- ROCkER The Jackal's Vixen -**


	2. Chapter 2

The first performance of the night is underway, but his attention is solely hers. She's telling him about the art exhibit she helped build from the ground up, how happy she had been when she finally got to display her own collection.

The smile never leaving her face and, in turn, never leaving his. He loves seeing her like this. Happy about something, especially her art, knowing that she made the right choice for her. Her family - much like his - still will not give up their hope that she go into medicine, but its not for her anymore than it was for him.

"I might be moving back home indefinitely." she says with a bright smile. "The company I'm working for wants me to oversee the construction of the new gallery their opening in town and manage it once its built."

"Why would they want to build a gallery in Port Charles?" Jason looks at her curiously, trying not to get his hopes up of her moving back to town.

"The Mayor is looking for ways to bring more culture to the town." she explains, accepting her drink from the bartender. "After he called, I passed on the suggestion to my boss and she loved it."

"When will it be a sure thing?"

"Their ironing out the details with the government." she takes a sip of her drink, glancing around the room. "Where's the future missus?"

"Sonny's table." Jason gestures to where he was. "You sitting at Mac's table?"

"Yeah." she shakes her head. "Speaking of which, I should get back. Come find me after Robin's speech? I really want to meet the lucky lady."

"Sure." Jason smiles slightly, not really sure about introducing Sam to her, but knowing he's going to have to. "I'll come find you later."

"Okay." she leans over, kissing his cheek, completely unaware of the affect that has on him. "I'll hold you to it."

Jason watches her walk off, a part of him hoping she gets the job and the part hoping she doesn't. Its easy when she's gone, to be friends and nothing more, but its almost torturous with her so close. Once she takes her seat, Jason orders up the drinks for the others at his table and returns to his seat to hand them out.

"Thank you." Sam says as she takes the club soda from him, not failing to notice the blank expression on his face.

"You're welcome." Jason replies before taking his seat beside her. "Do you need anything else?"

"No." Sam shakes her head, not wanting to give him another reason to leave the table. "I'm okay."

Once again he falls silent, his eyes on the performances on stage, while she watches him. Now more than ever, Sam wishes she could read his mind, wondering what was going on behind the blank expression he's sporting. The music is floating through the air, but she doesn't truly hear it. Her mind on other things, more important things than performances by residents of the town.

Its not long before Robin takes the stage, the entire room falling silent in anticipation of her speech. Sam sits up, giving the woman the respect she deserves, unable to imagine what she goes through on a day to day basis. Times like this, Sam feels grateful for her health. She couldn't imagine having to take medication ritually, monitoring every aspect of her life carefully.

"Every year I come up here and I tell you about what its like to live HIV positive." Robin smiles out to the crowd. "I open my life up to you, showing you that there is no difference between you and me. That hasn't changed. I'm just like you. I live and breathe just like you. I love with all I have. I smile and I laugh. And, believe it or not, I get angry and hurt...just like you."

Sam listens carefully as Robin goes into detail about how she came to be HIV positive - surely for those who didn't know the story - and going on to talk about her best friend that saved her life. Its at this part of her speech that Sam looks at Jason. A soft smile touches his lips as he looks up at her, undoubtedly remembering it the way she's telling it.

Robin talks about the side of Jason that Sam knows exists. Its the part of him that wakes up in the middle of the night to check on her. The part of him that sits up with her - albeit in silence - but still. Robin gives her thanks to him and encourages others to be as understanding - as accepting.

Then she talks about her career, how she helps so many people find hope when there is none. How each and every one of them have the chance to give that kind of hope to someone like her. To HIV positive men, women and children, to those with AIDS as well.

"Being here and showing that you care is amazing, believe me, but its the day to day that matters, too." Robin says with conviction. "I have no idea where I'd be without my family and friends. They've gotten me through so much that I probably wouldn't have been able to without them. Please, open your hearts to those suffering from the disease, because that's what it is...a disease. It doesn't change the person who contracted it...it just makes them need your love that much more. Thank you."

The room erupts in applause, the "she" walks up to the stairs, wrapping her arms around Robin once she's off the stage. Sam can see that it took real strength for Robin to stand on that stage and talk about her disease as if it was no big deal. If it were her, Sam doubts she'd be able to do that. To stand there and give her life story for others to learn from. She holds great respect for Robin and how she's able to open her heart like that.

"Hey, you." Sonny embraces Robin, giving her a warm hug before pulling away. "You did good."

"Thank you." Robin smiles before turning to look at Carly. "Carly, its nice to see you again."

"Ditto, Scorpio." Carly says with a smirk. "Sonny, lets get something to drink."

"Find me before you leave, okay?" Sonny says to Robin. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure." Robin watches them walk away before turning to Jason and Sam. "Hi, Sam, its so nice to see you again. How're you doing?"

"I'm okay." Sam smiles politely, wondering where the "she" walked off to. "Anxious to finish planning the wedding."

"Of course, that's understandable." Robin eyes Jason before returning her focus to Sam. "How's the little one?"

"Developing at a steady rate." Sam says proudly. "The doctor says that it should be a decent pregnancy."

"When are you heading back to Paris?" Jason asks, wondering if she'd be staying too.

"Actually, I've been offered a position at General Hospital." Robin admits, smiling at the thought of working under Alan Quartermaine, the man that inspired her to be a doctor. "I'm just waiting for our girl to get the green light before I accept the position."

"Talking about me again?" a voice teases, walking up the group, causing Sam to unknowingly stare at her. "Hi, you must be Sam."

"Yeah." Sam manages to get out, shaking the hand the "she" held out. "And you are?"

"Elizabeth Webber, but you can call me Liz." she smiles, eyeing both Sam and Jason. "Congratulations. Jason's really lucky to have you."

"Thanks...I think." Sam looks at her and seriously couldn't understand her.

"I'd really like to talk more, but I have a long day ahead of me." she apologises. "Jason, tomorrow, usual place?"

"I'll be there." Jason confirms, hoping that it meant they'd have a real conversation. "You bringing it?"

"Of course." Elizabeth laughs softly. "Sam, it was a pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah...you too." Sam watched as the "she" said her goodbyes to Robin and walked off. Yup. She definitely hates her.

Not long after the "she" leaves does Jason take her home. He doesn't wait for Sonny and Carly to be ready to leave. Instead, he has one of the guards give him the keys to their SUV, driving her home in that. She wonders what he's thinking, it was clear that he wanted to leave with the "she" instead of her.

Of course, he wouldn't do it even if he could because he can't. She's the one he's going to marry. Not the "she" and it wouldn't look right if he left with her and not Sam. No matter what he's feeling, it was obvious that Jason wasn't backing out of their marriage. It wouldn't be good for Sonny and that was most important to him - that Michael, his godson, has a secure family.

The ride back home was done in silence. He's visibly tense, leading her to wonder what thoughts were going through his head. Sam wishes she knew the history between Jason and the "she" - maybe it would help her understand why he was so in love with a woman that didn't seem to notice.

"Jason." she calls to him as he's about to walk up the stairs to his room. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Jason turns to look at her, waiting for her to figure out how she wants to phrase it.

"Who is Elizabeth to you?" Sam can see his guard go up a thousand feet and, in a way, she's gotten her answer.

"She's a friend." Jason says plainly. "Why?"

"Just wondering...from the way you two act..."

"She's just a friend." Jason snaps. "Nothing more. Nothing less."

Without another word, not waiting for her to question him further, he walks up the steps to call it a night. She'd be lying if she said that it didn't hurt. The way he closed himself off and practically snapped at her. Taking a deep breath, Sam walks over to the couch and sits down.

"If only that were true." Sam sighs, kicking off her heels and folding her legs beneath her, hugging a pillow to her chest. "Lord knows I wish that were true."

**A/N: Let us know what you think about what's happened so far.**

**Anyone feel bad for Sam? All reviews welcome.**

**- ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen -**


	3. Chapter 3

It took her a moment to realize where she was when she woke up with the morning light. A part of her expected to see the view of the Eiffel Tower from her loft in Paris, but she was pleasantly relieved when she pushed aside her curtains to find the beautiful town of Port Charles as a greeting to the day.

She has dreamt of the day that she'd wake up and be back home for so long that she half expected her return home to be nothing but a dream. While she gets ready to face the day, Elizabeth's mind travels back to the night she had been debating whether or not to return to Port Charles - wondering if it would be the right move. Getting the call from Jason had pretty much sealed the deal.

_All around her people are walking about, looking at her gallery - most of them in deep thought from the looks on their faces. She had always pictured this would happen and she was glad that people were really taking to her art. Robin took the day off to be there for the first ever debut of art by Elizabeth Webber._

_Being the artist of honor, Elizabeth walked around - explaining pieces to people that felt the need to know the back story to each piece. Finally done with one of the most prestigious art collectors in Paris, Elizabeth walks off tend to other guests._

_"Ms. Webber, there's someone on line 3 for you." May-Ann, her boss's assistant informs. "He says that he'd like to purchase the Wind. I tried to explain that there is no such piece, but he's insistent on it."_

_"Its okay, May-Ann." Elizabeth smiles, knowing exactly who it was that was calling. "I'll handle it."_

_She walks the distance to the phone, not at all surprised that he found out about her collection debut. Elizabeth excuses herself to her office - she was beyond anxious to see what was going on back home. He usually calls once a week, filling her in on the things she's been missing._

_"This is Elizabeth Webber, artist in question." Elizabeth says firmly, a playful smile on her lips. "I apologize sir, but the painting in question already belongs to a very special person in my life. It is not for sale."_

_"That's fine with me since it is mine." he says, playing along. "How's the debut going?"_

_"Its going great." Elizabeth assures, taking a seat behind her desk. "Everyone that was invited is in attendance and I think one of the major art collectors is thinking about buying out most of my collection."_

_"I always knew you could do it." Jason comments, something in his voice gives her cause to be worried._

_"Is everything okay?" Elizabeth questions, nervous to hear what has him so conflicted. "Jason?"_

_"Its nothing that can't wait for later." Jason says pensively, not wanting to tell her any of this during her debut. "I'm gonna let you get back to..."_

_"Jason, don't." Elizabeth says seriously. "Tell me what's going on, please. You know I'll worry if you don't."_

_"Fine. I'm getting married." Jason says cautiously, taking her completely by surprise. "She's pregnant..."_

_"You're gonna be a father?" Elizabeth cuts him off unintentionally, she just couldn't believe her ears. "Wow...that wasn't what I was expecting."_

_"Its not mine." Jason amends, not sure why he bothers pointing that out. "Its Sonny's."_

_"Okay...some elaboration would be nice."_

_"Do you remember when I told you that Sonny and Carly started seeing other people?" Jason questions, hating that it was hard to explain the situation to her._

_"Yeah...you mentioned some girl named Sam, I think."_

_"Right. Sam McCall." Jason confirms. "Apparently they had "goodbye sex" or at least that's what they're calling it and now she's pregnant."_

_"Goodbye sex? Really?" Elizabeth seriously didn't get Sonny's logic. "I still don't get why you're gonna marry her."_

_"Sonny and Carly are trying to make things work for Michael's sake and..."_

_"And this Sam girl having Sonny's baby will complicate that, right?" Elizabeth guessed, finally getting the picture. "I still don't get it."_

_"What don't you get?"_

_"For a man that hates lying, you're going to be carrying the burden of the biggest lie imaginable." Elizabeth points out, wondering if he's thought it through. "Are you sure you can live with that?"_

_"I'm gonna have to." Jason sighs, running one hand through his hair. "For Michael's sake, I have to keep Sam lulled."_

_"And what happens when she falls in love with you?" Elizabeth counters, a sudden ache in her heart. "Are you ready for that? For the feelings that will undoubtedly surface?"_

_"She knows how it is and she's accepted it." Jason says plainly. "As for my feelings...there's no risk of me falling for her."_

_"You'll be surprised what living with someone..."_

_"I'm not going to fall in love with her." Jason cuts her off swiftly. "Trust me."_

_"If you say so." Elizabeth says, checking the time. "I just really hope you know what you're doing."_

_"I do." Jason assures in spite of himself. "Enough about this...go enjoy your debut. I'll talk to you again soon."_

_"Jason, you're my best friend." Elizabeth says with conviction. "I just think you deserve more than a loveless marriage. You deserve more than this...you deserve everything."_

_"Don't worry about me." Jason says softly. "I'll be okay."_

_"I hope so." Elizabeth takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Take care, Jason."_

_"You, too."_

_"And...congratulations...I guess."_

Throwing her hair up into a ponytail, she checks to make sure she has everything she needs for the day ahead. Her PDA clipped to her hip, Elizabeth slides into her coat, grabbing her purse that she organized the night before and leaving her apartment.

"Elizabeth Webber speaking." she answers her cellphone just as she gets into her car. "Madam Louise, has a decision been made in regard to the gallery?"

"We've got the green light." Louise, her boss, confirms. "Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes. I'll be honored to head up the Port Charles division, ma'am." Elizabeth assures, glad that they finally got the green light. She wasn't looking forward to leaving again. "When will I get the scheduling?"

"May-Ann will send you the address for the new complex we've rented out for the temporary office." Louise rifles through her paperwork. "Once you've set up a decent arrangement, email May-Ann and she'll fax over the scheduling and contacts for the companies we've lined up for the project."

"I'll get right on that." Elizabeth starts up her car, turning on her air-con. "Thank you for this opportunity, Madam Louise. I promise to make you proud."

"I trust your instincts, Liz." Louise admits, signing paperwork and sending the assistant on her way. "I wouldn't put you in charge if I didn't. Keep me reasonably updated and have fun with this."

"Yes, ma'am." Elizabeth waits for the dial tone before dialling Robin's number. "Morning, sunshine!"

"You sound excited." Robin comments, paying for her coffee. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Take the job at GH...we're not going anywhere." Elizabeth says happily, laughing softly when Robin practically shrieks in delight. "We're home for good, Robin."

"Mac's going to love this." Robin exclaims, anxious to start working at the hospital. "Drinks at Jake's, the more the merrier because tonight we're celebrating!"

"I'll be there."

"Since you're meeting up with Jason, let him know okay?" Robin says as she walks out of the diner. "And make sure he invites the future missus, just because she can't drink, doesn't mean she can't hangout."

"Sure." Elizabeth doesn't know how much fun a bar is without drinking, but it couldn't hurt to extend the invitation. "As long as you invite the guards."

"Deal."

Jason is getting ready, making sure he has his gun at the small of his - fully loaded - and securing his signature jacket around him. While he's getting ready, Sam stands at the top of the stairs - knowing that he was on his way to see the "she" for one of their usual whatevers.

She'd usually make her presence known by now, but the look on his face had her frozen to the spot. Gone is the blank expression that is usually donned on his face. Instead of his usual look, Jason has a small smile on his lips, the look on his face evidently one of great thoughts.

"Good morning." Sam says when she finally finds the courage to walk down the stairs. "Are you busy today?"

"Why?" Jason asks, closing the closet and turning to look at her.

"I have a doctor's appointment at one." Sam reminds him, unconsciously sliding her hands over her stomach. "You said you'd come."

"And I will." Jason says, pulling out some money and handing it to her. "I'm going to be busy for most of the day, but I'll meet up with you at the hospital."

"Okay." Sam manages to get out before he's out the door.

Jason makes a pit stop at Kelly's, ordering up her usual and his before making his way to the their spot. It wasn't exactly the most fancy place in the world, but it was theirs. So he drives there, undoubtedly faster than he should have been driving, but he just had to see her. After going so long without her, he just wanted to see her. To spend some real time with her. Pathetic, maybe, but its the truth.

"Liz?" Jason calls out, smiling slightly when she walks out into the doorway of the boxcar. "Hey."

"Hey." Elizabeth smiles, taking hold of the frame before helping him up into the boxcar with her other hand. "You got it?"

"Yup." Jason confirms, setting the bags down. "You?"

"Of course." Elizabeth holds up the small container. "I can't believe this place is still here. I'd think the mayor would have this thing demolished by now."

"Its a waste of the government's resources apparently." Jason chuckles when she nudges him. "That's what the mayor said in his speech."

"I doubt he worded it like that." Elizabeth counters, laying out the blanket for them to sit down and eat. "I've missed this."

"I've missed you." Jason watches as a soft smile touches her lips, one of the many reasons he loves her. "I really hope you get the green light for the gallery."

"Thanks for reminding me." Elizabeth smiles brightly. "My boss called earlier and its official! I'm staying in town."

"Really?" Jason looks at her hopeful. "You're not going back to Paris?"

"Nope." Elizabeth shakes her head. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jason wraps his arms around her, realizing in that moment that he was glad she wasn't leaving. In spite of his underlying love for his best friend, Jason wouldn't want her anywhere else but there. He's going to marry Sam and his friendship with Elizabeth will stay in tact. He's gone this long without admitting his true feelings - with lots of effort he should be able to stifle his love for the rest of his life.

Sitting back, the two of them eat breakfast, talking about the past. Elizabeth tells him all about her time in Paris, describing in length how she felt being in Italy for the first time. She had gone on business and enjoyed every moment of it. What she didn't tell him was that it didn't feel right. Going there without him. It was strange.

Then came the hard topic for both of them. Jason's marriage and impending fatherhood.

"She seems like a nice person." Elizabeth comments, placing her empty container down on the floor. "Maybe someone you might fall in love with."

"Stop that." Jason says seriously. "I told you before and I'll tell you again, its not going to happen."

"How can you be so sure?" Elizabeth counters, eyeing him intently. "You're getting married and then you're going to raise her child together."

"And?" Jason really wishes she'd stop talking about him falling in love with someone else, even if its Sam. "Proximity and circumstances don't dictate how you feel about someone."

"All I'm saying is that you should look at all the angles before you tie yourself to Sam for the rest of your life." Elizabeth amends, opening up the container she brought. "Time to make a wish."

Jason takes a fudge brownie from her hand before watching as she closes her eyes. When she came up with this tradition Jason didn't understand it, but he went along with it. Then she explained it to him and he found himself actually looking forward to it.

"Close your eyes." she whispers, knowing him so well. "And make a wish."

Smiling slightly, Jason closes his eyes and makes a wish that everything will turn out how its supposed to. Elizabeth wishes for everything to fall into place for Jason. Happiness, love, the whole shebang. Opening their eyes, Jason and Elizabeth stare at each other for a moment before eating their brownies. With her staying in town, Elizabeth is going to make sure that Jason gets exactly what he deserves. Even if she has to help Sam become the person Jason can eventually fall in love with.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**gabby1 : No they were never a couple.**  
**sashahailee: We're glad to see you reviewing. We hope to find new ways to surprise you and everyone else.**  
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**- ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen -**


	4. Chapter 4

Night has fallen and somehow she has been talked into hanging out at the local bar with a bunch of Jason's friends. Okay. So maybe she wasn't talked into it, but it was close enough. The simple mention of it being a celebration for the "she" and Sam had no other choice but to go. Do the math. Jason plus the "she" plus alcohol equals bad news for Sam.

So there she was, getting ready for a night out that she really didn't want to be a part of. Her baby bump has formed and starting to grow bigger - making most of her outfits a little tighter than she likes them to be. She was almost certain that she'd be the only pregnant woman there - not making this night out any more appealing.

"Ten minutes." Jason says through the door - much like he always does - only this time it makes her a little annoyed.

"Coming." she calls back, taking a deep breath as she stares at herself in the mirror. "Because I'm so anxious to see you all googly eyed over her."

Jason waits for her downstairs, doing his usual routine in getting ready for a night out. He wasn't sure about going out, but Elizabeth convinced him - like always - and had him saying yes before he could even catch his breath to think it over.

"Ready?" Jason asks when Sam stands at the top of the stairs.

"Yeah." Sam smiles slightly, walking down the stairs to slip her arms into her jacket with Jason's help. "Are you going to drink?"

"If you're worried about me driving, don't be." Jason says, opening the door for her. "I don't get drunk."

Sam wanted to ask what he meant by that but thought better of it. Walking out of the penthouse, she presses the down button while Jason locks the door. Soon enough they were out of the building and on their way to the bar. From the moment she came to town, Jake's has been the last place she's ever wanted to be yet that's exactly where she's going. She could tell that Jason was surprised she agreed to go - obviously expecting her to decline.

"Coming!" Elizabeth calls out, rushing to get her purse in order.

She had gotten home later than she wanted to - her mind totally wrapped up in her work for most of the day. When she finally got her purse into a decent arrangement, Elizabeth pulls open the door and a bright smile automatically graces her face. She couldn't help it when it came to him.

"Francis!" Elizabeth exclaims, throwing her arms around him. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"Not that long ago." Francis concedes, taking a step back to look at her. "Beautiful as always."

"Thanks." Elizabeth couldn't believe he was really back. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too." Francis assures, holding out his arm to her. "Shall we?"

"Of course." Elizabeth links arms with him and follows him to his car. "How did you hear about tonight if you just got here?"

"I called Johnny and he told me you were back." Francis says simply, opening her door for her. "For someone that doesn't talk a lot, Johnny had a lot to say."

"I bet." Elizabeth chuckles, waiting for him to close her door and get into the driver's seat. "Did he tell you that I'm staying in town?"

"No...he forgot to mention that." Francis looks at her curiously. "Is this because..."

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Elizabeth asks hopeful.

"No."

"Then...yes." Elizabeth sighs, buckling up. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Like you even have to ask." Francis leans over, kissing her temple before starting up the car and taking off. "This should go without saying, but I'm here if you need to talk."

"I know." Elizabeth smiles, glad that he was finally in the same place as her. "Believe me...I know."

Arriving at the bar, Sam glances around the establishment. It didn't look as bad as she had imagined it would be, but it was close enough. There aren't many people there, she recognizes the guards almost immediately - having seen them around on more than one occasion. The "she" was obviously not there and Sam could only hope she backed out of coming. Of course the universe wasn't on her side and just as the door closed behind Jason, it opened up to produce a man with the "she".

"Sam, I'm glad you could make it." Elizabeth smiles, noticing that Francis wasn't particularly thrilled to see the brunette. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks." Sam says skeptically, eyeing the man with her. "You look nice."

"Lets get to the others, shall we." Elizabeth ignores the word nice and walks over to the rest of the group with Francis.

"Nice, huh?" Francis whispers curiously.

"Don't start." Elizabeth says simply, walking over to hug Robin. "Starting without us?"

"Never." Robin hands her a shot. "You got here just in time."

With everyone in attendance and seated in a big circle, the drinking begins, club soda for Sam of course. The more alcohol that gets into everyone, the louder the laughing became and the funnier the jokes become. Whenever they were all together, you're bound to learn a lot of things you really didn't want to, but can't believe you didn't know. Sam couldn't believe it, but she was actually having fun.

"Sam, do you like coconut?" Robin says after her tenth shot, chasing it with a bottle of beer.

"Kind of, why?" Sam looks at her curiously.

"Seriously?" Jason looks at her with an arched eyebrow. "You're really going there."

"Oh yeah...I'm definitely going there." Robin laughs at Jason's expression. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Can someone tell me what's wrong with coconut?" Sam says aloud when Robin doesn't continue.

"Jason hates coconut." Elizabeth supplies, smiling slightly at the memory. "The first and last time he ever ate something with coconut in it...suffice to say it wasn't pretty."

"Oh really?" Jason looks at her teasingly. "At least its not as bad as giving you dried plums. I had to throw that shirt away."

"Wow...are we really going there?" Elizabeth challenges. "Because I know a lot more embarrassing stuff than you do. Like...Independence Day of '99."

"You wouldn't." Jason eyes her intently.

"Oh, I so would." Elizabeth counters, licking, slamming, sucking. "I'm buzzed enough to let all out."

"Okay kids, enough bickering." Johnny says, filling up everyone's shot glass. "More drinking, less reminiscing."

Sam watches as the "she" downs her shot before excusing herself. She doesn't fail to notice the look exchanged between her and Jason before she walks through the back doorway. Moments after, she isn't sure if anyone else notices, but Jason rises from his seat - walking through the same doorway. She wants to stand up, but Robin starts talking to her and she doesn't want to be rude.

"What're you doing up here?" Jason asks, standing in the doorway of his old apartment. "Another trip down memory lane?"

"Something like that." Elizabeth admits, sitting down on the bed. "Why did you follow me?"

"Same reason, I guess." Jason closes the door, leaning against it. "I haven't been here in years and still its the same as I left it."

"Jake's not exactly big on redecorating." Elizabeth points out. "Plus, I doubt she has rented this place out since you moved out."

"You just might be right about that." Jason chuckles, not putting it past Jake to leave it vacant for him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Elizabeth looks at him, patiently waiting for him to get his thoughts together, the alcohol not helping either of them as far as concentration goes.

"Are you going to be busy on the fourth?"

"You mean Independence Day?" Elizabeth stands up, looking at him curiously.

"Yeah."

"Not that I know of." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Why?"

"Sam's going out of town in a couple days to spend it with her brother." Jason explains, pushing away from the door. "If you're not busy, we can hangout like we used to."

"Sure." Elizabeth shrugs, walking up to him. "As long as it doesn't end the way it used to. Your fiancée wouldn't like it."

"Right." Jason shakes his head. "Of course."

"Come on." Elizabeth links arms with him. "We should get back downstairs."

"Yeah." Jason opens the door, walking out once she does. "I guess we should."

Walking back downstairs, Elizabeth walks away from Jason at the doorway, sitting back down with Francis and accepting the shot glass he was holding out to her. Jason walks over to Sam and sits down beside her, accepting the bottle of beer from Johnny. The rest of the night went by smoothly - that was, of course, after Elizabeth stopped trying to play nice with Sam.

"I'm calling it a night." Elizabeth says as she stands up. "Unlike the rest of you, I have to work in the morning."

"Not if you don't want to." Johnny counters, waving a shot glass in front of her. "Come on, live a little."

"Tempting, but no." Elizabeth laughs softly. "Francis, you driving me home?"

"I was just waiting on you." Francis says, helping her into her jacket. "See you all later."

Jason watches her walk out of the bar with Francis before downing the shot that Johnny had been waving around. It was hard enough to hangout with Elizabeth and not want to kiss her senseless, but now Francis is back and it was going to be hard to get any alone time with her. Mostly because Elizabeth looks up to Francis and finds any excuse to hangout with him. Downing another shot, Jason wanted to shoot himself for sounding so pathetic - even if its only in his head.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them. **

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	5. Chapter 5

With Jason out of the house - thankfully doing something for Sonny a county over - Sam sits in the local diner eating breakfast. She'll be leaving to visit with her brother soon, something she was most definitely looking forward. It has been years since she was able to settle down long enough to visit him and now she finally has the chance to.

Although, she is a little nervous about leaving town right now. With the "she" who is probably going for sainthood, Sam just wasn't convinced that leaving town right now was the best move. She missed her brother terribly, but leaving could put the final nail in her coffin where Jason is concerned. With a sigh, she takes a drink of her tea, trying to forget about madam perfect.

"That better not be coffee in that cup." a voice scolds playfully, causing a smile to grace her lips. "I'd hate to drop kick a pregnant woman."

"Emily, hey." Sam stands up to hug her friend. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"Just got in." Emily admits, shrugging out of her jacket. "I'm just dying for some of Ruby's chilli."

"I wonder who else is coming back to this town." Sam comments, sitting down when Emily sits.

"What does that mean?" Emily questions, waving over the waitress. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Sam shakes her head, picking up her cup. "Everything's awesome."

"You're still a bad liar." Emily chuckles, giving the waitress her order before focusing on Sam. "Spill. What's going on?"

"Its nothing, really." Sam insists, wishing she didn't open this door. "Just much of the same."

"Okay...for one, you're the world's worst liar. And two, the last time we talked you mentioned something about a girl, but you wouldn't elaborate." Emily says seriously. "So spill. What's going on?"

"You probably already know her." Sam says carefully, not sure if she should speak freely, in case Emily knows the "she". "She's Jason's best friend."

"Robin?" Emily looks at her curiously. "She's back in town? I didn't think she'd be back so soon. I mean, I wouldn't be if I was living in Paris. That place is epically beautiful."

"She came back for the Nurses' Ball and accepted a position at General Hospital." Sam concedes, allowing Emily to think that's the best friend she was referring to.

"Oh, wait a minute." Emily shakes her head. "You don't have to worry about Robin. They're close, yeah, but that's all it is. I mean it would be a different story if..."

"Emmy?" a voice exclaims in surprise from the doorway to the diner. "Oh my gosh!"

"Lizzie!" Emily shrieks at the same time as Elizabeth, both unable to believe that they were finally back in the same town. "Oh my gosh!"

"Of course." Sam mutters, she should have known they'd be friends. "Should have known."

"I can't believe you're back in town." Elizabeth says with a bright smile, pulling out of the hug. "This is amazing!"

"Me?" Emily scoffs, shaking her head. "What about you? What are you doing back in town?"

"I'm heading up my own gallery." Elizabeth admits, a little proud of herself for that. "I'm back for good."

"That's so great!" Emily says excitedly, she can see so much potential with that. "We seriously need to have a girls' night out and soon."

"Sounds great." Elizabeth agrees, remembering why she came into the diner in the first place. "I'm just grabbing a cup of coffee before I head back to work, but I'll definitely call you later. Where're you staying?"

"With the family." Emily admits a little reluctantly. "I'm getting my own place soon though."

"That's perfect, we can make a day out of it." Elizabeth can already picture the kind of house Emily would stay in. "I'll see you later, okay."

"Definitely." Emily agrees, retaking her seat when Elizabeth walks to the counter, noting the annoyed look on Sam's face. "You weren't talking about her, were you?"

"Yes. I was." Sam sighs, taking a drink of her tea. "Should have known you two would be close."

"Ah, sorry." Emily apologies, now understanding Sam's uneasiness. "I should have known you meant her and not Robin."

"What do I do?" Sam questions, really wishing there was someone in this town that doesn't know the "she" or thinks she's amazing. "Your brother obviously loves her."

"Yeah, but it doesn't go both ways." Emily assures, waving at Elizabeth when she's leaving the diner. "You're worrying for nothing."

"I wish I could believe that."

"Liz spent more time with Francis than she did with Jason anyway." Emily says with a shrug. "If anything, she has a crush on Francis. They were practically inseparable."

"Really?" Sam had felt something was happening between the "she" and the guy that didn't refrain from showing his distaste for her. "Maybe you're onto something."

"Trust me." Emily says with conviction. "Elizabeth doesn't want to be with my brother."

"I hope you're right." Sam sighs, eating the last of her burger. "I really care about him and I don't want the wedding to fall apart."

"Don't worry so much." Emily encourages. "And when you get back from your visit with your brother, we'll hangout at our usual spot."

"Sounds great."

She knew it wasn't right to lie to Sam, but what else could she possibly say? Yes, Sam, you have a right to worry. No. You shouldn't leave Jason and Elizabeth alone unless you want the wedding to be called off. None of those sentences can ever leave her mouth. No matter how she feels about Sam, she has to stick by her one and only rule. Live and let live. And that meant, letting people figure out their own lives with the hope that they'd pay her the same respect.

"No. The main gallery will be in the center." Elizabeth says, directing the foreman. "I want the wet bar to positioned in the corner of the room."

"One big one or one in each room?" Victor, the foreman, questions, looking at the blue print.

"I want them in each room and I want them to be like the one in Venice." Elizabeth says, handing him the file. "Spare no expenses where the wet bar is concerned. We like to take care of our art lovers."

"I'll get on that." Victor says without hesitation. "Let me know if you see any other problems with the layout."

"I will, thank you." Elizabeth says gratefully. "Your men did a great job with the entrance hall, by the way. Its absolutely perfect."

"I'll tell the crew you think so." Victor says with a smile before walking off.

"This whole boss thing suits you." a voice comments from behind her, prompting a smile to touch her lips. "How's your day going?"

"Better now that you're here." Elizabeth wraps her arms around him. "Not that I thought it could get any better."

"Should I be offended?" Francis looks at her curiously.

"Not at all." Elizabeth laughs softly, leading him to her makeshift office. "Emmy's back in town."

"Huh. I didn't think she'd be back for a couple more years." Francis comments, closing the door behind him. "We should probably give O'Brien a heads up."

"Nah, I think he can take care of himself." Elizabeth can just imagine how what will happen when the two see each other again. "What do you have planned for today?"

"Depends on why you ask." Francis counters, knowing she wanted or needed something.

"There's this antique chandelier in Rochester that I really want to get for the gallery, but they don't do shipping and I need to go pick it up." Elizabeth smiles coaxingly. "I was hoping a certain friend of mine would help me out with that."

"Sure." Francis chuckles, seeing that she was really excited about the piece. "We can head over to Johnny's place and borrow his SUV."

"Thank you, thank you!" Elizabeth hugs him tightly before grabbing her jacket and purse. "You're seriously the best person I know!"

"Uh-huh. Lets just go." Francis shakes his head, opening the door for her. "I have to drop off a file to Sonny beforehand."

Jason is debriefing Sonny on the meeting he just had with one of the suppliers when Johnny walks through the door in a hurry. Curious, but a little annoyed, Jason looks at his friend with an arched eyebrow. Of course, Johnny knew that they were having a meeting and that he was supposed to be stationed outside the door, but he just couldn't do it.

"Your sister's here." Johnny says in a hushed tone, peering out of the peephole. "She's on her way up from the lobby."

"Thus you hiding like a little girl." Jason counters, folding his arms over his chest. "Grow a spine and get out there."

"No way." Johnny says firmly. "Not in this lifetime."

"She's his sister, not the Chinese Army." Sonny pulls open the door, shoving him out of it. "Man up and grow a pair."

"Hi, Johnny." Emily says as the door shuts behind him.

"Emily...hey." Johnny says nervously. "When did you get back in town?"

"A few hours ago." Emily says simply, watching his expressions. "You okay? You look nervous."

"Wha..me?" Johnny waves away her concern. "I'm good...great...awesome."

"Same ol' Johnny." Emily laughs softly. "Tonight at eight...you and me...dinner at Eli's. Dress nice."

"Huh...okay. Yeah. Sure." Johnny shakes his head. "Awesome."

"Stop picking on him." Elizabeth says as she walks off the elevator. "And Johnny, we all know you have a crush on her...take the date and be done with it."

"Fine." Johnny shrugs. "I'll see you at eight."

"Great." Emily kisses his cheek. "Later lover boy."

"Just great." Johnny slumps against the door once Emily's long gone. "Jason's gonna kill me."

"No he won't." Elizabeth assures as Francis walks into the apartment to drop off the packet. "Emily's grown up...he'll probably just beat you up or something. Definitely not kill you."

"Wow, Webber." Johnny shakes his head. "You sure know how to make a guy feel better."

"Relax." Elizabeth chuckles, finding this version of Johnny quite amusing. "By the way, can Francis borrow your truck? He needs to take me to Rochester to pick something up for the gallery."

"Sure. I'm gonna be dead by tomorrow anyway, you might as well take my truck." Johnny mutters, handing her his keys. "But I want to use your car in the meantime."

"Deal." Elizabeth says, handing him her keys. "But when Jason kills you, can you make sure you're out of my car when he does? Blood is wretchedly hard to get out of my carpets."

"Ha, ha. Not funny."

"Kind of is."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth walks into the penthouse after being granted entrance by Sonny. Off to the side, Sonny and Francis are discussing the contents of the packet that he dropped off. She is about to walk over to them when she spots Jason standing by the couch, waiting for Sonny to be done with Francis.

"Hey, you." Elizabeth greets, walking over to him. "You look bored."

"Bored? No." Jason shakes his head, looking at her. "Irritated...a little."

"Still? Seriously?" Elizabeth shakes her head. "I really don't get why you don't like Francis. I mean, everyone likes Francis."

"Not everyone." Jason says plainly. "Why are you here?"

"Waiting for Francis." Elizabeth shrugs. "He's taking me to Rochester."

"Why?"

"There's a shop there that's willing to give me an antique chandelier for free if I can pick it up by tonight." Elizabeth explains, fiddling with Johnny's keys in her hand. "I asked him to take me."

"Huh." Jason swallows the words that would have formed into why didn't you ask me. "Are we still on for the fourth?"

"Of course." Elizabeth says without hesitation. "We're not staying in Rochester. We're just picking it up and heading back to town."

"Liz, you ready?" Francis questions, unknowingly ending her conversation with Jason.

"Yeah." Elizabeth looks at Jason with a slight smile. "See you later."

And just like that she was out the door with Francis. Knowing Sonny was probably reading something into his expression, Jason kept the emotionless mask on while he concluded his meeting. A part of him hated that he was annoyed with the older guard, but he couldn't help it. The thought of Elizabeth going on a road trip with Francis instead of him had Jason really frustrated. Looks like its not going to be as easy as he thought it'd be.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	6. Chapter 6

_It was a clear night in Port Charles, teens of every label - punks, jocks, preps, etc. - are gathered in the park for the fourth of July fireworks. Not her though. She tracked her way to the abandoned boxcar on the outskirts of town, not really feeling the festivities this year. The stars were much clearer in this part of town and she'd be able to see the fireworks in its entirety from there._

_Normally she'd be amongst the excited members of her peers, anxious to see what kind of layout they had this year for the fireworks, giggling over the most recent PCH's hottie of the month. But this year is different. This year she can't stand to be amongst the crowd. Places with lots of people freaks her out._

_"Who's there?" she calls out into the dark, hearing a rustling noise off to the side. "I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it! I swear I will."_

_"You hate guns." he says, walking out of the foliage. "And you'd never shoot anyone."_

_"Whatever." she says, relaxing back against the doorjamb. "Did you bring it?"_

_"Like promised." he holds up the bag of food. "You?"_

_"Duh, Jason." she rolls her eyes, holding up the container of fudge brownies. "Sheesh, its not my first time, you know."_

_"Okay." Jason hops up, sitting in front of her with one leg folded in front of him and the other hanging over the side. "What's up with you?"_

_"Nothing." she shakes her head, open the bag swiftly and laying out the contents on the blanket she laid out. "Where's the drinks?"_

_"In the cooler behind you." Jason stops her from turning. "What's going on?"_

_"Nothing." she says firmly, stretching to pull the cooler closer. "I'm allowed to be crabby once in a while. You've been known to be worse on occasion."_

_"I know you." Jason stops her again. "And you know I'm not going to stop until you spit it out."_

_"Fine." she sighs, tossing her spoon into her container. "I'm a freak."_

_"Come again?" Jason arches his eyebrow, not sure if he heard her correctly. "You're a what?"_

_"Don't act like you don't hear people talking." Elizabeth snaps, sitting upright, folding her arms over her chest. "Even your friends are talking about it! Stupid Carly."_

_"Since when do you let anything Carly says bother you?" Jason counters, seeing that she was really upset. "She's never said anything but bad stuff since the two of you met."_

_"It bothers me because its true." Elizabeth sighs, slumping back against the doorjamb again. "I'm a freak."_

_"No you're not." Jason states firmly. "Just tell me what they're saying."_

_"They're saying that I'm a freak because I've never been kissed before." Elizabeth throws her hands up. "I mean, come on! Even Carlos Jr. kissed a girl and he smells like frog guts."_

_"Why does it matter if you haven't kissed anyone?" Jason counters, seriously not getting the big deal. "You've never had a boyfriend. Get one and you can kiss him. Problem solved."_

_"Easy for you to say!" Elizabeth groans, hating that she was even discussing this with him. "You're like a god amongst men! Girls are lining down the block to kiss you!"_

_"I don't get why this bothers you." Jason brushes a few strands of hair from her face. "You're a great girl. You'll get your first kiss when its the right time for you."_

_"Whatever." Elizabeth sighs, opening up her container. "Lets just eat and forget I said anything."_

_They ate in silence, Jason watching her as she ate, knowing that she was really hurt by the talk around town. Once dinner was done, they threw all the empty containers and used utensils/napkins into the bag he brought them there in. The fireworks would be starting soon and they'd make their wish just seconds before._

_"Ready?" she whispers, touching her brownie to his. "Count us down."_

_"Five...four...three..." Jason counts down the seconds with the help of his watch. "two...one...make a wish."_

_With their eyes closed, they both make a wish on the brownies. Jason cheats for the first time, opening his eyes to watch her as she made her wish. He hated seeing the defeated look on her face and it made it worse because it was his friends that really drove it home. Not giving it a second thought, Jason leans in and claims her lips with his as the fireworks explode in the distance._

_Elizabeth is shocked at first, her eyes shooting open to see that he was really kissing her. Jason pulls away for a second, waiting for to grasp that it was really happening and then claiming her lips again. As this kiss deepened in intensity, Elizabeth's eyes close slowly, taking in the feel of his lips on hers._

_"Now its not true." Jason whispers, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear - the same strands that just wouldn't stay off her face. "Can you be my best friend again and not care about what's being said?"_

_"Uh-huh." Elizabeth shakes her head, her heart pounding so loudly that she's afraid he can hear it. "Whatever you say."_

Elizabeth shakes her head at the memory, a soft smile touching her lips. That wasn't the last time their friendship turned physical, but it was the first. After that fourth of July in '98, nothing had been the same between them. Didn't mean they didn't try their hardest to keep their friendship strictly platonic, it just never ended up that way. Strange enough, the only time things turned physical was on a holiday or special occasion. She thinks its strange anyway.

"We're here." Francis's voice pulls her out of her thoughts. "Need me to go in with you?"

"No. Its okay." Elizabeth assures, opening the door and getting down. "I'm just going to sign for it and roll it out on a dolly."

Walking inside, she meets up with the store owner that was a little surprised to see her. After pleasantries are exchanged, the owner leads her to the storage unit where the chandelier is being kept. The moment she lays her eyes on the piece, Elizabeth knows she made the right choice by going all the way to Rochester. The piece looked even more beautiful in person than it did in the photographs. Loading it into the truck with Francis's help, they got back inside and took off back to Port Charles.

"Benny will wire five hundred dollars every day." Jason explains as the guards load her luggage into the private jet. "If you need more, just call and I'll have Benny transfer more, okay?"

"I'll be fine, Jason." Sam says softly, touched to see that he was worried for her. "I'll call you if I need anything, I promise."

"Just be careful." Jason says seriously. "The guards will be there, but still...just watch yourself."

"I will." Sam wraps her arms around him, thankful that he does the same in return. "Take care of yourself, too."

"Don't worry about me." Jason says, stepping out of the embrace. "I'll be fine. Just focus on you and have fun with your brother."

"Okay." Sam smiles slightly, not happy with having to leave, but she needed to see her brother. "See you when I get back."

"I'll be here." Jason says before watching her board the plane.

He walks back to his SUV, waiting until the plane was in the air and on its way to its destination before he gets into the driver's seat and heads back to his penthouse. He noticed right away how quiet his penthouse was the moment he walked into it. Usually Sam was playing some kind of song on the entertainment center or she'd be walking around talking on her phone. It was going to be a little weird not having her popping in and out of the rooms at any given moment.

"You're quiet." Francis comments, wondering if he should shake her or something. "What's got your mind in overdrive?"

"Jason." Elizabeth sighs, kicking up her heels on Johnny's dashboard. "I can't believe he's really going to marry her."

"What did you expect?" Francis counters, stopping at a red light, looking at her. "Its not like you've professed your undying love for him."

"Like it would matter if I did." Elizabeth mutters, gesturing for him to step on the gas - the light having turned green moments earlier. "Jason's not the type to fall in love."

"I still think if you blurt that little tidbit, you'll rock his foundation." Francis says simply, stepping on the gas and driving into the night. "Better yet, can I tell him?"

"No!" Elizabeth slaps him, knowing he found it amusing. "You won't tell him and neither will I. Jason can never know!"

"Then what are you doing in town?" Francis counters, stopping at another red light. "If you're not back to tell him how you feel, what are you doing here?"

"I need to see it for myself." Elizabeth says simply. "Once he says "I do" it'll be the end of it."

"Wow." Francis shakes his head, stepping on the gas. "You must have said that lie enough times that you actually believe it."

"Oh shut up." Elizabeth mutters, looking out her window. "Just get us back to town."

Francis hid a smirk, knowing that he was wearing her down. No matter what she says and what Jason doesn't, he knows that they love each other mutually, they were both too damn stubborn to admit it. Of course, there's the small obstacle of Sam McCall, but he's working on that too. For someone that wasn't romantically entangled, he sure had a lot of relationships to fix.

While he's planning ways to throw the two together, Elizabeth is thinking back to the memories she shared with Jason. The more she started to feel for Jason, the more she started hanging out with Francis. The moment she fell in love with Jason, she became equally attached to Francis. They stuck by each other so much that everyone thought they were dating. Not that either of them cared, but both found it kind of funny because Jason believed it, too.

"Tell me you've got something hard." Johnny says, bursting through Jason's door. "And take your mind out of the gutter because I didn't mean it like that."

"One...you're the only one who'd think of that." Jason says, taking the bottle from Johnny. "And two, get your own liquor."

"Elizabeth's on a road trip with Francis." Johnny counters, hitting below the belt with that comment. "Still won't share?"

"Screw you." Jason hands him back the bottle, picking up the bottle of tequila and downing some. "You're an ass."

"It got me what I wanted." Johnny shrugs, walking over to sit on the club chair, downing a couple shots at once. "I went out with your sister tonight."

"I know." Jason states, downing more tequila.

"Please kill me."

"I would." Jason says with a shrug. "But you had to bring up Liz and Francis."

"Damn." Johnny downs another shot. "Me and my big mouth."

"You like my sister." Jason points out. "Why are you making it so difficult?"

"Because I like your sister." Johnny says like its obvious. "I suck at relationships."

"You and me both."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	7. Chapter 7

She had just gotten comfortable in her bed when she got a call from Sonny that Jason missed their morning meeting. He knocked on the door at the penthouse across the hall, but received no answer. Deciding that it was best for her to check up on him instead of sleep, she pulls herself out of bed.

Taking a hot shower to wake herself up before getting dressed, she called his cellphone on the way over to the penthouse. Of course, it goes straight to voicemail, both irritating and worrying her. Part of her wished she had her own car. Johnny's truck wasn't exactly the best vehicle for her to use, but it got her there in one piece.

Walking onto the elevator, she rides it up to the top level before getting off once the bell dings and the doors open. Searching her purse for the key to his penthouse, Elizabeth pulls it out and unlocks the door - not at all ready for the sight that greets her.

She wasn't sure if she should be jealous or take a picture to send to everyone she knows. There on the couch, giving her the perfect memory to laugh at for years to come, Jason and Johnny are sitting together in an intimate moment - asleep in each other's arms.

Closing the door behind her, Elizabeth keeps her steps light as she pulls out her cellphone and takes a picture of the two. This was just too perfect to not document. Clearing her throat, she watched as Jason slowly came out of his unconscious state, her amused smirk greeting him when his eyes open.

"Must have been some night." she comments, laughing when he realizes who's on him, laughing harder when he shoves O'Brien off of him - sending him to the ground with a thud. "Wow...didn't know you like it like that."

"Shut up." Jason says, shuddering at the thought of sleeping in the arms of a man. "This never leaves this room."

"I don't know." Elizabeth chuckles. "This makes the perfect blackmail persuasion."

She holds up the picture of him and Johnny, making him curse at the fact he got so drunk that he was caught in such a disgusting position. Jason finds himself being attacked by a killer hangover and the stinging annoyance that he just gave her the perfect leverage to get what she wants.

"Get up!" Jason yanks Johnny up on his feet before shoving him out the door. "Never come here to drink again!"

"Dude!" Johnny exclaims as he rubs his eyes to remove the blur.

"Never again!" Jason snaps before slamming the door, turning to look at her. "Delete that picture."

"I don't think so." Elizabeth shakes her head, sliding her cellphone into her back pocket. "This is just too perfect."

"You must hate me." Jason groans, walking over to pop a couple pills into his mouth, flushing it down with some water. "Damn it all."

"Relax." Elizabeth walks over to him. "What happened last night? You never get that drunk."

"I had a lot on my mind." Jason says plainly, walking over to plop down on the club chair, making a mental note to torch the couch. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Sonny called, he was worried when you missed your meeting." Elizabeth says, sitting on the coffee table in front of him. "Why did you drink so much?"

"I had a lot..."

"On your mind, yeah, I got that." Elizabeth cuts him off. "That doesn't answer my question. Why did you drink so much?"

"I'll tell you if you delete that picture."

"Nice try." Elizabeth shakes her head. "The next time you want to drown in alcohol, make sure you're doing it alone...or, at the very least, a female."

"Shoot me now." he groans, the hangover slowly dissipating.

"Sorry." Elizabeth pats his leg. "I hate guns, remember."

"You're really not going to delete it?" Jason eyes her intently.

"Maybe." Elizabeth smirks, wiggling her eyebrows. "I can be persuaded."

"Just great." Jason stands up, walking over to the closet and grabbing his jacket. "Stay here. I'm gonna check in with Sonny."

"And after you do?"

"After I'm done with him, you can tell me what I have to do." Jason says firmly, yanking open the door. "You really know how to screw with me."

"Eh, I learnt from the best." Elizabeth laughs softly. "Christmas of '99."

"Touché." Jason closes the door walking over to Sonny's penthouse, knowing he was in for a hell of a begging session with Elizabeth.

Having nothing else to do, Elizabeth decides to clean up his apartment. Whatever had him on a drinking binge with Johnny, she was sure she'd have to find a way to get it out of him. Maybe leveraging the picture will get the truth out of him.

When the shot glasses and empty bottles were finally cleared out of the living room, Elizabeth fixes the couches before getting in the kitchen and starting up the stove. Might as well cook herself breakfast while she waits for Jason.

"Enough for two?" Jason asks as she's shutting off the stove.

"Of course." Elizabeth smiles slightly, handing him an empty plate while she gets one for herself. "Everything settled with you and Sonny?"

"Yeah." Jason confirms, fixing himself a plate to eat. "I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

"Good." Elizabeth hands him a spoon. "Maybe this fourth of July will be a little less eventful."

"So you keep saying." Jason counters, walking into the living room with her once she got their drinks from the fridge.

Elizabeth sits down on the couch while Jason takes a seat on the club chair. She couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped her lips when he refuses to sit on the couch. A comfortable silence falls onto them as they eat. She knows that he's thinking about the picture and ways to get her to delete it.

"Have you figured out where we're going to go watch the fireworks from?" Elizabeth asks, taking his plate from him. "I was thinking we could watch it in the park."

"The park?" he looks at her curiously. "Since when do we ever watch it from the park?"

"Exactly." Elizabeth says, walking into the kitchen with him following behind. "We've never watched the fireworks in the park together. This year we can."

"You want to watch it from the park?" Jason really couldn't understand it. "Why?"

"I just said why." Elizabeth says plainly, loading the dishwasher. "We agreed this year would be different and hanging out in the park will be different."

"I really wanted to hangout with you alone." Jason says seriously. "Its been a long time since we just hung out by ourselves."

"Fine. Where do you want to watch the fireworks from?"

"The roof." Jason says simply, following her back into the living room.

"The roof?" Elizabeth looks at him skeptically. "This roof?"

"Yeah." Jason looks at her questioningly. "You okay with that?"

"Sure." Elizabeth shrugs. "Sounds good."

"Okay."

"I have to finish up some stuff at the gallery, but I'll back here tonight." Elizabeth says, walking over to the door. "Try not to drink anymore, okay?"

"I'm done for now." Jason says seriously. "I will get you to delete that, you know that, right?"

"Uh-huh." Elizabeth opens the door. "Sure."

Jason thought about nothing else but that picture for the rest of the day. He didn't even have time to be disgusted by seeing Johnny and his sister attempting at a first kiss when he made the mistake of getting coffee at Kelly's. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder how the night would end. For some reason, holidays spent together are cursed to end in very intimate positions. Of course, if she kept that image of Jason and Johnny in her mind, she'd be too busy laughing to think of anything remotely intimate in regard to Jason.

"Hey." Jason greets her as she walks across the roof to him. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you." Elizabeth smiles, hugging him briefly before walking over to the picnic he set up. "You clean up nicely too."

"Thanks." Jason smirks, taking the container of brownies from her to set it down on the blanket. "Can I ask you something?"

"If you're going to ask me to delete the picture..."

"No, its not that." Jason shakes his head, knowing she'd think he was going to ask about that. "This thing with you and Francis..."

"What thing?"

"Are you guys dating again?"

"Again?" Elizabeth looks at him like he's lost it. "You still believe I dated him before?"

"You didn't?"

"No!" Elizabeth laughs, unable to believe that he still thinks she dated Francis. "We've always been just friends."

"Like us?"

"No, not like us." Elizabeth shakes her head. "I've never kissed him."

"But before, when I thought you two were dating, you never said you weren't."

"That's because you were crazy to believe it." Elizabeth says simply. "You should have known better than to listen to anything Carly tells you."

"Touché."

"You seem relieved." Elizabeth comments, looking at him intently. "Did you really think that I was dating Francis?"

"You asked him to take you to Rochester instead of asking me." Jason points out. "You used to ask me for stuff when you needed it."

"I didn't ask you because I knew that we wouldn't be in town when Sam was leaving to visit her brother." Elizabeth says seriously. "Your priority is her. Not me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're getting married." Elizabeth stands up. "I can't count on you to be there anymore."

"Yes you can."

"No! I can't!" Elizabeth groans, shaking her head. "Once you say "I do", she'll be your main focus and that's how it should be. Francis will be the one I'll have to turn to when I need help."

"That's not true." Jason says firmly. "You can still count on me."

"No." Elizabeth sighs. "I really can't."

Elizabeth walks away from him, storming into the building and making her way to his penthouse. She forgot her purse in there when she left earlier that morning. After he put everything on the blanket and pulled the four corners together, Jason carried it down to his apartment, hoping that she'd be there. Getting inside, he's glad that she's there - most likely searching for the purse she forgot.

"Do you really believe you can't count on me?" Jason asks, setting the stuff down on the desk.

"I believe that once you're married, the only person I can call in the spur of the moment will be Francis." Elizabeth says firmly. "I'll just see you later."

"No." Jason stops her, making her face him. "In spite of everything, we're still best friends, you'll always be able to count on me."

"Not when you're married."

"Even then." Jason states with conviction. "You can always count on me."

"If you say so."

"Don't do that." Jason says, suddenly aware of how close they are, reminding him of her birthday in '99. "You'll always be important to me. Married or not, you can always count on me to be there."

"Jason." she whispers, the closeness becoming too much for her to bear.

"So much for this not being like old times." Jason whispers, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear - the same strands that just won't stay off her face.

"Jason." she whispers again, trying to protest. "Don't do this."

"Are you sure?" Jason questions, backing her up against the door. "Tell me to stop. Tell me you don't want this."

She wants to say it, but she knows it wouldn't be true. So much for this not being like the past, the curse must still be in full swing because before she could voice an objection, his lips are on hers in a heated passion. Anything that would have been uttered from her lips to stop him from doing this fell away, she couldn't think past his body against hers.

Jason pours his heart into the kiss, claiming her lips as if she was his, knowing that she wasn't. He knows the regret that will swallow him by morning, but he doesn't care. He kisses her with all he has in him, leaving regrets for the morning light, drowning in her essence for the rest of the night.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	8. Chapter 8

_The rain is pouring down and he's chasing her through the streets. She's upset, he saw that clear as day, and he wanted to help her. To make it okay for her. Elizabeth had another idea though. She decided that it was smart to run through a rainstorm with him chasing behind her._

_"Elizabeth!" he shouts after her, cursing the fact that she was a former track and field gold medalist every year in high school. "Wait up!"_

_"No!" she shouts back, taking the pathway that leads to the docks._

_It wouldn't be so hard to catch up to her if he didn't stay behind long enough to sock her boyfriend in the mouth and bring him down hard. Thanks to his need to stand up for her, Elizabeth's way ahead of him and he's running as fast as he can just to catch up._

_Finally catching up to her, Jason gets there just as she's slamming the door to her studio and locking it up tight. He pounds on the door, pleading with her to open up, but she doesn't. He can hear her crying through the door and it breaks something inside him. He couldn't help but blame himself for this. He had been the one to convince her to give dating a chance and then this happens._

_"Liz...please." he begs, laying his head against the door. "Please just open the door."_

_"Go away." she says through the door, defeat in her voice. "I just want to be alone."_

_"I'm not leaving." Jason says with conviction. "If I have to stay out here all night, I will. I'm not leaving you."_

_"Just go." Elizabeth slumps against the door. "Please...just leave...you're just making it worse."_

_"I'm not leaving." Jason says in a low voice, slumping down against the door. "I'll be here when you're ready."_

_Hours pass by in torturous silence. He wants to barge into the studio with the key he has, but he won't do it. She's been through enough and definitely didn't need him barging in on her uninvited. So he sits there, waiting for her to open the door, praying that she will._

_The sound of the lock clicking is his salvation, prompting him to stand up as the door is pulled open. Her face is stained with tears long since shed, the look on her face tears another hole through him. He wants to say something, but the words wouldn't form. So, instead of saying something stupid, he pulls her into his arms and holds her close. Some would say possessively._

_"I'm sorry." he finds the courage to say, softly rubbing the small of her back. "I wish I had the words to make it okay for you."_

_"There are no words." she whispers in that broken tone he hates so much._

_"Can I come in?" he asks, pulling away slightly._

_She doesn't speak, afraid of her voice, simply allowing him to guide her inside. The day had not turned out like she had planned it and she was breaking apart inside. She had really thought he was the one, only for it to turn out to be a complete lie._

_He didn't love her. Hell, from the way he acted that night, she doubts he even likes her. As if breaking up with her on her birthday wasn't bad enough, she had to catch him in bed with her sister moments beforehand. This had to be the worst birthday in her entire life._

_"What can I do?" Jason whispers, standing in front of her, wishing there was something he could do or say to make her stop crying. "Name it and I'll do it...anything to help you get over this guy."_

_"There's nothing you can do." she says plainly. "There's nothing anyone can do."_

_"There has to be something." he says almost pleadingly. "I can kill him if you want. Just say the word and he'll be gone."_

_There it was. The smile that he was trying so hard to bring out. He knew that the mention of him killing someone would get a smile out of her. She finds his line of work laughable, proving that by laughing at him on occasion. Thankfully, when its almost impossible to get her out of her funk, mentioning killing someone for her has gotten the job done._

_"I appreciate the offer, but no." Elizabeth smiles slightly. "If you were the one to kill him, it would make him mean something and I'd die before I gave him the satisfaction."_

_"Okay." Jason chuckles softly. "So what can I do?"_

_She stares at him for a moment, her breath caught in her throat as she looks at him. There was something in his eyes, something she had never seen before and it had her inching closer to him. Everything was happening in slow motion for him. One minute he's simply consoling her over the end of her relationship with her boyfriend and now he's dying to kiss her._

_Their lips touch and he could literally feel his heart explode in his chest. A fire is ignited between them and soon they are clawing at each other's clothes - needing to feel skin upon skin. He's nervous because he knows she has never done this before. A part of him knowing that he should stop her._

_"Are you sure?" he whispers, a cloud of lust in her eyes telling him that she was already on the edge._

_"Yes." she says without hesitation, yanking her shirt over her head. "I'm sure."_

_And that was the end of him. He couldn't protest it even if he wanted to. Article by article of clothing is tossed aside just before they fall onto the makeshift bed of hers. The rain is pounding against the windows, but neither of them care by this point. All that mattered was them, in that moment, making love to each other like they never thought they would._

_"Happy birthday, Liz." he whispers, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead._

_"Thank you."_

The moonlight shines through the glass doors of the balcony, showering his body in a soft glow. As she sits up, Elizabeth remembers her first time, it had been the moment she fell in love with him. She hadn't realized it at first, but she knew it soon enough. That's why this shouldn't have happened. It only made it harder to be just friends.

Quietly sliding out of bed, Elizabeth slips into her clothes before snatching her heels from where they were tossed. A part of her didn't regret it happening, having wanted it to happen for a long time, but another part of her did. She regrets it because of Sam. Because even though Jason's heart may not be in it, Sam didn't deserve this.

So she takes one last long look at him before quietly making her way out of the penthouse. Making it out of the building and into the parking garage, Elizabeth finds her car parked where Johnny's truck was, her keys in the visor. With a slight smile, she gets in and starts it up, heading back to her place to call it a night.

"Emmy?" she says in surprise, finding Emily sitting on her doorstep. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"A few hours." Emily admits, standing up when Elizabeth walks up to her. "I need your advice."

"Why didn't you call?" she counters, unlocking her door to let Emily in. "I would have came sooner if I knew you were waiting for me."

"I kind of figured you were with Jason." Emily shrugs, tossing her coat on the rack before sitting on the couch. "Fourth of July and all."

"Right." Elizabeth sighed, handing her a glass of water before sitting down across from her on the club chair. "So...what's going on?"

"Its Johnny." Emily sighs, taking a drink of water. "I know he likes me, but he just doesn't act like it. He keeps trying to push me away and its driving me crazy."

"You know him."

"Yes, I do, but still!" Emily groans, putting the glass down. "I came back because I thought that it would be different. We talk almost every night and now that I'm back he acts like we're just friends."

"Well...you kind of are."

"Ugh!" Emily throws her hands up. "Sometimes I think that I'm getting somewhere with him...that he's finally ready and then he does this."

"Does what?"

"He pulls away." Emily states sadly. "Why do I even try if he's not going to?"

"Em, you know that he really cares about you." Elizabeth says seriously. "Johnny...he's just afraid he'll end up hurting you."

"He already is." Emily counters. "Every time he pulls away, it hurts like nothing else possible could. I'm getting to the point that I just don't want to try anymore."

"You don't mean that." Elizabeth sighs, getting up to sit in front of her on the coffee table, taking her hands in hers. "Johnny's, for lack of a better word, Johnny. You just have to be patient with him."

"I'm in love with him." Emily says on a whisper. "I just wish he'd see that and trust in us."

"I know." Elizabeth wraps her arms around Emily. "I know exactly what you mean."

"Why do guys have to be so complicated?"

"Trust me, they're thinking the same thing about us." Elizabeth laughs softly, pulling away from her. "If its meant to be, it will be. You just have to be patient with him."

"I know." Emily says with a shrug. "I guess I just needed to get that off my chest and I thought of you."

"Well, if you ever need to unload again, you know my door's always open." Elizabeth smiles slightly. "How about something stronger?"

"Tequila?"

"You just read my mind." Elizabeth chuckles, standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"Liz?" Emily calls to her as she gets to the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yeah?" Elizabeth turns back to look at her.

"Be patient with Jase." Emily says softly. "He'll get to where you need him to be. You just have to give him time."

"He's marrying her." Elizabeth counters, shaking her head. "I'm okay, Emmy. Its how it has to be."

"No...it doesn't." Emily points out. "Don't give up on him just yet...that's all I'm saying."

"Okay." Elizabeth takes a deep breath. "I won't."

"Good." Emily laughs softly. "Now go get the tequila."

"Yes, ma'am."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	9. Chapter 9

In the morning light, Elizabeth awoken with a killer hangover from drinking the rest of the night away with Emily. With that thought in mind, she walked out into her living room, finding her friend crashed out on her couch. Smiling slightly to herself, she pulls the afghan from the back of the couch and covers Emily with it before returning to her bedroom.

She wanted to get to work before the sun came up, avoiding any chances of seeing Jason during her unfortunate tequila hangover. After taking a long hot shower, Elizabeth gets dressed and heads to work after leaving a note for Emily.

"Johnny?" Elizabeth questions, looking at the guard as he sat on the front steps of her gallery. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your advice." he says nervously, having her wondering if he and Emily were connected or something. "You don't mind that I'm here, do you?"

"Not at all." she assures, unlocking the door to let him in. "But be forewarned, I'm suffering from a killer hangover so my advice may be a little straightforward."

"That works for me." Johnny says without hesitation, walking into the building with her following behind. "I kind of need it right now."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." she counters, starting up a pot of coffee. "Do you want to wait until after my first cup of coffee or would you like to start now?"

"I'll wait." Johnny plops down into one of the chairs. He wants straightforward answers, but not for her to bite his head off.

"Wise choice." Elizabeth chuckles, sitting down behind her desk as the coffee is brewing.

Emily wakes up to the persistent knocking on the door. The major hangover making her a little crankier than she's used to. She takes refuge, though, in the fact that anyone knocking at this time of day deserves whatever mood she's in.

Reluctantly pulling herself up off the couch, Emily trudges towards the door, yanking it open and groaning at the sight of her brother. It just had to be him. Whatever angry burst that was about to escape her lips were frustratingly swallowed back down her throat.

"You look...interesting." Jason says, eyeing her intently. "Is Liz here?"

"No." Emily says firmly. "That it? Great! Goodbye."

"Whoa." Jason stops her from closing the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I slept over." Emily sighs, looking at him intently. "Anymore stupid questions or are we done here?"

"Great." Jason groans. "You're hungover."

"Oh really?" Emily says sarcastically. "What gave it away?"

"Love you." Jason kisses her forehead. "I'll see you later."

"Love you too." Emily says before shutting the door and making her way to the guest room to return to a peaceful slumber.

Jason could only imagine how plastered Elizabeth got after she left his place last night if Emily was that hungover. He tries to think of where she'd be, but is sidelined in his venture by his cellphone ringing. Sonny needs him to handle a situation down by the docks, putting his search for Elizabeth on hold.

"Now?" Johnny watches as she finishes her first cup of coffee.

"Sure." Elizabeth refills her cup before sitting back down. "I'm all ears."

"Emily and I hung out yesterday in the park to watch the fireworks." Johnny says, tapping his foot nervously - not really the one to ask for advice from anyone. "I know that I made her mad because I ended the night abruptly, but I'm afraid of hurting her."

"That's what I told her." Elizabeth concedes. "You really did a number on her last night."

"I hate doing it, but I can't help it." Johnny sighs, running one hand through his hair. "I'm scared if she gets close enough, she won't like what she sees...or I'll hurt her in a way I can't even imagine."

"You love her, don't you?" Elizabeth questions bluntly, eyeing him intently. "If today was your last day, who would you want to spend it with?"

"Em." Johnny admits, a slight smile on his face.

"So don't waste your time with the what ifs." Elizabeth says seriously. "You don't know how lucky you are to love someone that loves you back. Stop being a dick and just go for what you want."

"You weren't kidding, I've never heard you talk like that." Johnny chuckles, standing from his seat. "I kind of like it."

"Sure, sure." Elizabeth walks with him to the front door. "If you leave now, you can probably make it to my place before she leaves."

"Thanks." Johnny kisses her cheek. "You're truly the best."

"I know." Elizabeth smiles as she dashes for his truck and speeds off to get to Emily. "Good luck."

She walks back inside as the workers start to arrive. Hopefully she can go through the rest of the day without seeing Jason. Her hangover was slowly dissipating and she had a lot of work to get done. Once she got the workers started on what needed to be done, Elizabeth makes her way to her office to call up the transporters to see when they'd be ready to bring the paintings into town.

"Its handled." Jason says into his phone. "Anything else you need done?"

"No. That's it." Sonny concedes, signalling for the guard to walk into the penthouse. "I'll call you when I need you."

"Okay." Jason ends the call, checking the time before making his way to Kelly's. If she's not there then someone will know where she is - its her usual time for lunch and she's a sucker for Kelly's. "Hey, Tammy."

"Hey." Tammy smiles, looking at him expectantly. "You want your usual?"

"Sure, but first...has Liz come in yet?"

"Nope." Tammy shakes her head. "She called in her order. Mike's gonna deliver it once its done."

"How about you add it to my order and I'll take it to her?" Jason counters, pulling out his wallet. "I'm headed to her office anyway."

"Great." Tammy smiles, unknowingly confirming where Elizabeth is. "I'll put it as priority for cook."

It didn't take too long for his order to be done and for Tammy to put Elizabeth's order with his. Paying for both orders, Jason walked out of the diner and headed straight for her gallery. He had been a little put back when she wasn't beside him late last night, but he wasn't surprised that she wasn't.

"Jason?" she says in surprise, glancing around and cursing the fact that she gave the workers the rest of the day off. "What are you doing here?"

"Lunch." he says simply, holding up their orders. "I thought I'd save Mike the trip."

"How generous of you." she says skeptically, holding out her hand for her order. "Food, please."

"Not just yet." Jason holds it out of her reach. "Not until you agree to talk to me about last night."

"You never want to talk." Elizabeth points out. "Why do you choose now to change that?"

"Food's getting cold."

"Fine." Elizabeth turns around and walks back into her office. "Lets talk if you want to talk because I'm starving."

"Great." Jason follows her into the office, closing the door behind him. "Nice slip out last night. I didn't even hear you leave."

"Thanks." Elizabeth smirks. "Now lay out the food."

"Bossy much?"

"Slow much?" she counters. "I'm starving."

Jason sets the food down on the desk, smiling slightly as she tears into the bag to pull out her food to eat. She wasn't kidding. She must be hungry by the way she's tearing into her food. He decides to put off the talk while they're eating, his own stomach growling at him to get some food in it.

"I'm not saying any of this right." Johnny groans, really wishing he was better at this. "I suck at this."

"Suck at what?" Emily looks at him confusedly. "What are you getting at, John?"

"I'm trying to find the right words, but they all sound so damn cheesy!"

"Then be cheesy!" Emily snaps. "Just spit it out! Say something, anything, I don't care! You're starting to freak me out."

"Ugh!" Johnny groans, pulling her into his arms. "Fine. I'm so in love with you that I can't think straight...you're all I ever wanted...you're all I want! Happy?"

"Very." Emily whispers staring into his eyes. "Because I'm in love with you, too."

Johnny doesn't have a chance to initiate the kiss because her lips are already on his. A part of him, a very tiny part that's not focused on Emily, is mentally thanking Elizabeth for the advice. He wasn't sure about going to her, mostly because he didn't want to sound like an idiot, but he's glad he did.

"I know why last night shouldn't have happened." Jason says, kneeling in front of her, holding her hands in his. "But you're my best friend...I don't want this changing anything between us."

"It won't." Elizabeth says, hoping to god that he can't hear the way her heart is pounding in her chest. "I'll always be your best friend. Nothing can change that."

"Good to know." he whispers, gently reach up to caress her cheek. "I can't lose you, Liz."

"I can't lose you either." Elizabeth admits, cursing herself for leaning into him and allowing him to kiss her. "It can't happen again."

"I know." he whispers as he lays his forehead against hers. "It won't."

"Never again." Elizabeth stares into his eyes.

"Agreed." Jason says, claiming her lips in a heated passion, thrusting them back into the dance they shouldn't be a part of, yet couldn't get out of.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	10. Chapter 10

Months pass by and the more they push each other away, the more they seemed to pull each other closer. If Sam noticed anything changing in Jason's demeanor she didn't say anything. The last thing either of them wanted was for Sam to get hurt, but they just couldn't stop what has unknowingly begun.

What that was exactly, Elizabeth had no idea. All she knew was that it wasn't helping her deep unrequited love for her best friend...it only made it stronger. Sure, she knew that she should stop, that she shouldn't get her heart beating like this, but she couldn't help it. She loves him. Madly, deeply, irrevocably and that wasn't about to change. No matter what she did.

"Everything okay?" Robin questions, noting the distant look in her best friend's eyes.

"Yeah." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Everything's great."

"Are you nervous about the grand opening?" Robin guesses. "Or is this more personal?"

"The gallery mostly." Elizabeth sighs, looking around the room. "I can't believe its done."

"You're telling me." Robin chuckles, linking arms with her. "Lets go grab something to eat."

"Sounds good. I'm starving." Elizabeth says, allowing Robin to walk her out of the gallery. "Soon I'll be officially running my own gallery."

"I'm proud of you, Liz." Robin says wholeheartedly. "You've finally gotten there. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks." Elizabeth smiles brightly, following her to her car. "I'm kind of anxious for the grand opening to come already."

"I know."

Getting into the car, the two girls head off to Kelly's for some lunch. For some reason, Elizabeth was hungry all the time now. As they're having their orders taken, Robin's looking at her with a curious - almost amused - look on her face. Once the waitress walks away, Robin pretty much lets her amusement out through laughter.

"What?" Elizabeth questions, looking at her curiously. "Why are you laughing?"

"You weren't kidding when you said you were starving." Robin stifles her laughter. "When was the last time you ate?"

"This morning." Elizabeth admits reluctantly. "Why?"

"Just curious." Robin shrugs. "If you're on something, I want some."

"I'm not doing drugs." Elizabeth throws her a straw. "Sheesh, can't a girl just be hungry?"

"Of course." Robin chuckles, setting the napkin down on her lap. "As long as that's all it is."

"Oh, shut up." Elizabeth mumbles, accepting her order and diving in.

Jason is pacing back and forth in his office. Things between him and Elizabeth have been growing in spite of how hard they've been trying to push each other away. The more time they've spent together, the stronger his love for her has grown. He knows that Sam doesn't deserve this, but he had to find a way out of this marriage. He cares about Sam, but he loves Elizabeth and - forsaking it all - he wants to marry her.

"Busy?" Johnny asks from the doorway.

"No." Jason gestures for him to come in. "What's up?"

"I need the weekend off." Johnny says carefully. "I want to take Em to that opera she has been wanting to see."

"You're going to the opera?" Jason arches eyebrow at him. "Willingly?"

"Don't laugh." Johnny says firmly. "I'm a man in love...sue me."

"I'm happy for you." Jason says simply. "You've got the weekend off as long as you spend it with Emily."

"Plan to." Johnny smirks, looking at him curiously. "What were you doing before I walked in?"

"Thinking." Jason states, leaning against his desk. "I'm seeing Liz tonight and I want to make sure I've figured out what I want to say before then."

"What are you going to say?" Johnny questions, truly curious.

"That I love her." Jason says, his heart almost stopping at the admission. "That I want to marry her."

"Wow." Johnny's eyes grow slightly. "I never thought you'd be able to say that."

"That's what I thought about you and look at you now." Jason counters. "Its time for me to stop hiding behind our friendship."

"I'm proud of you man." Johnny smiles slightly. "Good luck tonight...and don't sweat the words...it'll come to you."

"Sure." Jason shakes his head. "Now get out."

Sonny walks back out of the warehouse, a part of him seething. This couldn't be happening. He's finally gotten to a point with Carly that she finally trusts him again. He can't let this happen. It won't happen. Making his way to his town car, Sonny makes a few calls. There was no way he was going to let that girl ruin his life right now. It can't happen. Everything was set. Jason marries Sam and Elizabeth can keep him happy on the side. He wasn't supposed to want to marry her. What happens next isn't his fault. Its theirs.

"So, I'll be gone for a couple weeks, but the moment I get back we are going to have a girls' night out, okay?" Robin says seriously, loading her luggage onto the counter to check it in. "Promise?"

"Of course." Elizabeth wraps her arms around Robin. "I can't wait."

"I'm gonna miss you." Robin says, fighting off the tears. "You promise me you'll be safe, okay?"

"I'll be fine." Elizabeth promises. "Tell the kids in Venice I said hi."

"Will do." Robin smiles, taking a deep breath. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Elizabeth watches Robin walk through customs before making her way to Robin's car. It was sad to see her leave, but she's needed in Venice. It wasn't like she was staying over there for good. It'll only be a couple weeks. She can handle a couple weeks without her...or at least she hoped so. For now, she had a doctor's appointment to get to. Something Robin said had her feeling the need to find out for sure.

"Ms. Webber." the nurse called. "Your results are ready in the lab."

"Thank you." Elizabeth says before standing up and taking the elevator down to the lab. "Breathe, Liz...just breathe."

Getting to the lab's floor, she walks the distance to pick up her results. Thankfully she knows a few people in the hospital that she got her test labelled a priority. If she had to wait any longer, she would have lost her mind with not knowing.

"Oh my gosh." she gasps, reading and rereading the results. "I'm pregnant!"

Shoving the results into her back pocket, Elizabeth dials Jason's number, getting his voicemail and deciding it was best to not leave it in a message. She'll go to him. She'll tell him face-to-face and they'll decide from there.

Set on what she had to do, she made her way out of the hospital. She's just about to get into the car when someone grabs her from behind. The fear grabs hold of her and she tries to get away, but the person was too strong. Something's covering her mouth. She doesn't understand what's going on, but the world starts to turn back. The last thought on her mind is Jason and the baby she's carrying. Hoping...praying...that she'll be okay. That they'll be okay.

"That's weird." Jason says, checking his phone and finding a missed call from Elizabeth.

He tries to call her cellphone, but its going straight to voicemail. He calls her house and the gallery, but has no better results. Deciding that he'll go check on her himself, Jason makes his way to her house. He knocks on her door. After a while, he decides to make his way to his penthouse. Maybe she left him a message there. Sam's taking a 'me day' and won't be back until late that night.

"A note?" Jason looks at it skeptically. "Since when does she leave a note?"

**Dear Jason,**

**I decided to join Robin in Venice.**  
**Whatever's happening between us is**  
**too much for me right now. I'm sorry.**  
**Marry Sam is what's best for you and **  
**leaving is what's best for me.**

**Goodbye,**  
**Elizabeth**

Jason drops onto the couch, unable to believe what he was reading. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. He was supposed to tell her how he felt and it turn she'd do the same. At least that's what happened to Johnny and Emily. Its how it should have happened for him and Elizabeth too. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening. Yet it was and in that moment something broke inside of him. Everything broke inside of him.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey ole Friend, thanks for callin'_  
_It's good to know somebody cares_  
_Yeah she's gone, but I don't feel like talkin'_  
_It might be just too much to bear_  
_To hear somebody say it stops hurting_  
_Or to hear somebody say she ain't worth it_

Jason's going through the motions. Waking up, getting dressed, going to the warehouse to avoid Sam in any way. He knew he'd have to go through with the wedding. Its the only thing he has left in his life right now that makes sense. Because everything else in his life was completely insane.

Pulling out the books to balance them, he tries to focus on anything to get his mind off of her. It had almost killed him the last time she left, but this time he's sure it will. Everything inside him broke and now he wasn't sure he'd be able to put the pieces back together.

"Up for some company?" Francis questions, half his body showing from behind the door.

"No." Jason states, keeping his focus on the books.

"The guys are worried." Francis presses on. "Sam's been calling us...she's afraid for you."

"I don't care what you all think or how you feel." Jason says firmly. "I'm fine so drop it."

"You're not fine." Francis opens the door all the way. "You've been in five bar fights in the last two days. That the pure definition of not okay."

"Since when did this become okay?" Jason finally looks up at him. "We're not friends. Stop acting like we are."

"You're right." Francis says plainly. "We aren't friends, but she's my friend and I owe it to her to make sure you're okay."

"If she cared about me, she'd be here." Jason states, returning his focus to the books. "Now leave before I shoot you where you stand."

Francis walks out of the room. He had been surprised to hear that Elizabeth had left with Robin, she hadn't told him anything about it, which was strange in and of itself. With her gallery opening in a couple weeks, he was so sure she'd be here for it. Not wanting to push either of them, Francis has decided to let her cool down for a couple more days before he checks up on her in Venice.

_You don't know her like I do_  
_You'll never understand_  
_You don't know what we've been through_  
_That girl's my best friend_  
_And there's no way you're gonna help me_  
_She's the only one who can_  
_No, you don't know how much I've got to lose_  
_You don't know her like I do_

"What?" Jason snaps at the knocking at his door.

"Whoa, relax." Johnny says, walking into the office. "What's with you?"

"Sorry." Jason sighs, running one hand down his face in frustration. "What do you want?"

"I know you hate it when people check on you, but that's why I'm here." Johnny says firmly. "You're not acting like yourself."

"I wish people would stop telling me how I should act." Jason states angrily. "What I do is my business! No one else but mine."

"That's where you're wrong." Johnny counters with conviction. "The people that love you have a right to be worried for you."

"I appreciate that." Jason says, closing the books and pushing it aside. "But its my life to ruin if that's what I want."

"Or here's a suggestion, do the sane thing!" Johnny snaps, tired of this version of his friend. "She ran...run after her! Stop doing the selfless thing and go after what you want."

"If she wanted..."

"Yeah, yeah...she'd be here, blah blah blah." Johnny rolls his eyes. "Ever thought that maybe...just maybe she wanted to know if she was worth fighting for? Maybe she loves you too, but she doesn't want to get in the way of your obligation to Sonny."

"She's the one that walked away." Jason states. "No matter what I say...she's gone."

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Johnny counters, pulling open the door. "The Jason I know would never give up on someone he loved."

"She gave up." Jason states. "Not me."

"That's not what it looks like from where I'm standing." Johnny counters, shaking his head. "If you love her the way you say you do, go after her. The best things in life are worth fighting for."

_I can't forget, I'm drowning in these memories_  
_It fills my soul with all the little things_  
_And I can't cope, it's like a death inside the family_  
_It's like she stole my way to breathe_  
_Don't try to tell me it stops hurting_  
_Don't try to tell me she ain't worth it_

Once Johnny is out the door, Jason stares at it, thinking back on the many years of friendship he and Elizabeth shared. The good and the bad, each one he wouldn't trade even if his life depended on it. Sitting there he wonders if there was something to what Johnny told him.

A part of him wanted to do just that. To get on a plane and fly to Venice. Lord knows that their friendship deserved a face-to-face goodbye - if that's what she really wanted. Even though the last thing he wanted was to tell her goodbye, he deserved the chance to.

Of course, there was the other part of him that didn't want to face her. The part that didn't want to hear the words from her mouth. To see the look on her face as she told him that whatever was happening between them could no longer be.

The note was one thing. To actually stand in front of her and hear the words from her mouth, it was just too much to bear. Grabbing his jacket, knowing he wasn't going to get any real work done, Jason left to talk to Sonny. Maybe he could help him put things into perspective.

_You don't know her like I do_  
_You'll never understand_  
_You don't know what we've been through_  
_That girl's my best friend_  
_And there's no way you're gonna help me_  
_She's the only one who can_  
_No, you don't know how much I've got to lose_  
_You don't know her like I do_

"She left a note?" Sonny looked at him curiously. "That's it?"

"That's it." Jason sighs, pouring himself a drink. "Johnny thinks I should run after her. To prove that I love her."

"Don't you think she knows by now?" Sonny counters. "If she wanted to be with you, don't you think she'd be here?"

"That's what I said." Jason shakes his head, downing the glass of scotch. "I don't know what I should do."

"If she was worth having, she would stick around." Sonny says simply. "You deserve someone that will stick around, man."

"I guess." Jason downs another glass of scotch. "But maybe Johnny's onto something...maybe I should go to her and at least say goodbye face-to-face."

"Or you can just make it a clean break." Sonny suggests. "If she wants to leave you...maybe you should just let her go."

_You don't know her like I do_  
_You'll never understand_  
_You don't know what we've been through_  
_That girl's my best friend_  
_There's no way you're gonna help me_  
_She's the only one who can_  
_No, you don't know how much I've got to lose_  
_You don't know her like I do_

Jason leaves Sonny's a little confused. On the one hand, he always said that everyone deserves to make their own choices. If she wants to be out of his life, he should give that to her. BUT, on the other hand, he loves her and he never gives up on the people he loves. Didn't he deserve the chance to say goodbye to her? Though it was only a note, she had her chance to say goodbye. Didn't he deserve the same chance?

Going off of chance, Jason calls the airline, buying the a ticket on the first flight out of Port Charles. Forsaking all the heartache that will be his reality once she says goodbye to his face, Jason had to see her. He had to say goodbye. One thing he learnt from both Elizabeth and Robin, saying goodbye is important and he had to have that chance. In spite of everything that has happened, he needed that to move on.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**

**...You Don't Know Her Like I Do by Brantley Gilbert...**


	12. Chapter 12

Sam could feel her world coming apart at the seams. She had waited all night for Jason to come home, but he never did. Then, in the morning, she found a message waiting for her when she came downstairs. She told herself not to worry.

Telling herself that Jason was on some kind of assignment and that's why he was out of town. It couldn't be for the reasons she dare not speak of. He's going to marry her. He promised her that he'd take care of her. That he'd make sure she was okay.

"No." Sam says, sliding into her jacket. "This wedding is still happening and all I need to do now is buy the dress."

Taking her purse and tossing her keys in, Sam lets the guards know where she needs to go and heads down to the car with them. The wedding is happening. He won't leave her standing. She had to trust that. She had to trust that he'd keep his word. Trust. And a whole lot of faith.

"Where am I?" Elizabeth tries to sit up, her head aching severely, but she is unable to move.

She tries to open her eyes, but the bright light has a searing affect on her eyes - forcing her to shut them tightly. The cold is the next thing to register after the silence. It was eerily quiet, sending chills down her spine, goosebumps covering her skin that had nothing to do with the coldness in the room.

Wherever she is, she's strapped down, she could feel the restraints on her wrists and ankles. Elizabeth tries again to open her eyes, squinting against the bright lights, trying her hardest to see through the fog. The fear is creeping up on her, she couldn't move any part of her body. She was starting to feel, but she still couldn't move.

"I'm so sorry." a female voice speaks beside her. "I never wanted any part of this. I just can't lose my son."

Elizabeth tries her hardest to turn her head, wanting - no, needing - to see the woman talking to her. Through the blurry haze, she sees the basic features of the woman, a look of remorse clearly on her face. She's injecting something into an IV needle and Elizabeth tries to beg her not to, but nothing coherent comes out. Its nothing but groaning mumbles.

"Don't worry." she whispers, gently stroking Elizabeth's hair. "What I'm giving you has no affect on your unborn blessing. I would never hurt a child, in or out of the womb. I promise you...you'll be just fine."

"P..pl..please." Elizabeth manages to get out, the darkness threatening to swallow her whole once more, a silent tear falling from her eye. "please..."

"I'm so sorry." the woman apologizes again. "This will be over soon...just give into it. Sleep this nightmare away and dream of better places. You'll be better off that way."

"Please..." Elizabeth whispers, her eyes slowly shutting, the darkness overcoming her once again. "please."

"No one will hurt you here." the woman promises. "I'll make sure of it...just rest."

Jason gets off the plane and heads straight for the place Robin told him off. He was anxious to see her. His heart was pounding in his chest that he could have sworn the people in the plane could hear it. Driving as fast as he can, he gets to the hospital in record time.

"Parlez-vous anglais?" Jason questions the nurse.

"Yes." the nurse replies. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Doctor Robin Scorpio."

"Ah, Dr. Scorpio." the woman smiles fondly. "Yes, she's on the fifth floor with the children. Just take the elevator up to the fifth floor and follow the butterfly arrows."

"Great, thanks." Jason takes the elevator and follows the butterfly arrows all the way to the large playroom.

"Jason?" Robin excuses herself before walking over to him. "What are you doing in Venice?"

"I'm looking for Elizabeth." Jason says quickly. "I know this is crazy because I didn't run after her the last time she left, but I'm here now and I need her to know that."

"Your mouth is moving, but I don't understand anything you're saying." Robin says seriously, pulling him to the side. "What are you talking about?"

"I need to tell Elizabeth that I love her." Jason says with conviction. "I know that she left with you to get away from me, but I can't give her up without a fight. I just can't do it this time."

"Jason, what are you talking about?" Robin eyes him, fear gripping her heart as she stares at him. "Elizabeth didn't come to Venice with me."

"What are you talking about?" Jason looks at her sternly. "She left me a note saying she was leaving Port Charles with you."

"No, I left Port Charles by myself." Robin states clearly, trying to get through to him. "I'm only here for two weeks. I'm supposed to meet up with her once I got back to town."

"She's not here?" Jason knew the answer, but he couldn't grasp it.

"No!" Robin says with conviction. "Jason, what's going on?"

"But...if she's not here...where is she?" Jason slumped down onto one of the chairs. "I don't understand this."

"You said something about a note." Robin sits down beside him. "Do you have it with you?"

Jason digs in his pocket, pulling out the note that had practically ripped his heart out. A part of him wanted to believe that she didn't leave him that note, but a larger part feared the reason she wasn't the one to leave it. The look on Robin's face didn't give him any relief.

"She didn't write this." Robin hands it back to him. "Whoever wrote that copied her handwriting from before she left to Paris."

"How do you know?"

"After Liz started at the gallery, she started drawing three small hearts on the corner of anything she writes." Robin explains. "It has become sort of a signature. She puts it on her art as well."

"I have to get back to Port Charles." Jason stands up abruptly and starts to walk away when Robin yanks him back into place.

"You're not going alone." Robin says firmly. "I'm going with you."

"What about your stuff?" Jason counters. "We don't have time to pack your stuff..."

"Its still packed." Robin calls up her superior, apologizing for having to leave early. "Let's go."

On the way to the hotel, Robin is calling Francis and Johnny, not giving a care to Jason telling her not to. Something about not knowing who has her and blah blah blah. Robin couldn't care less at this point. Her best friend is out there somewhere with some godforsaken person, she's not taking any chances.

Its an eight and a half hour flight from where they are to Port Charles and they didn't have a second to lose. Once the guys make a promise to keep the search just between them, Robin grabs her bags and they're off to the airport. They'll find Elizabeth. Any other options just wouldn't do.

"Where do we start?" Johnny asks, meeting up with Francis on the steps of Elizabeth's gallery.

"The only place we can start." Francis says plainly. "The last place we know for a fact she was."

"That would be the airport."

"Exactly." Francis says, gesturing for him to get in the truck. "I have a friend that can get us into the traffic cameras. We need to find out where she went after she left the airport."

Getting into the truck, the two friends head off to the cabin that Francis's friend was staying. Both have a sick feeling coursing through them, but neither want to voice their assumptions. The only thing that mattered right now is finding Elizabeth and bringing her home safely.

Francis didn't have to do much explaining before his friend, Vic, got on it. The simple mention of Elizabeth and Vic was typing away at this laptop like a crazy man. Johnny and Francis stand by as the computer genius does his magic, pulling up all the footage he could spot Elizabeth on.

Linking the footage into one reel, Vic plays for the two men. Francis sits on the chair, right in front of the screen, needing to see her alive and well. Willing her to be that way when they find her. At the end of the footage, they watch her driving into the hospital parking lot in the direction of the parking garage.

"Can you pull up the footage from the garage?" Francis questions as the screen fuzzes out.

"It'll take a while to break through their firewalls." Vic says, cracking his knuckles. "Grab me a drink from the fridge."

"You pull this off and I'll keep you stocked for a year." Francis says, walking off to the fridge in the corner of the room.

"I'll hold you to it." Vic says, taking the drink and downing half before getting back to work on the hospital mainframe.

While he's working hard at his laptop, Francis and Johnny do their pacing outside. They were doing it inside, but Vic snapped at them about being a weird distraction and banished them to the porch. They couldn't help it, the pacing that is, they were both freaking out inside. Not knowing who had her was really getting to them. Pulling their guns when a car pulls up, Johnny and Francis are shocked to see Jason and Robin getting out of the car.

"Let me guess...Jason flew the plane?" Johnny looked at them curiously.

"He threatened to kill the pilots if they didn't let him fly it." Robin shrugs, walking past them into the cabin. "Hey, Vic. Have you got anything yet?"

"Not just yet." Vic says as she plops down beside him. "Beautiful as always."

"Thanks." Robin smiles slightly. "You should really get out of this place more often."

"We'll see." Vic smirks, finally breaking through the firewall and getting into the mainframe. "We're in."

With that comment, they all gathered around the screen, anxious with anticipation as Elizabeth came on the screen. They watched with bated breath as the moment played out on the screen. Each of their hearts aching as she was grabbed from behind, clearly chloroformed. With a twist of fate, the person who took Elizabeth turns his head to the side, making sure that no one was watching him. Little did he know that the camera caught his face in the process.

"You've got to be kidding me." Francis states with disdain at the same time Johnny mutters, "What the hell?"

"Ruiz." Jason states, clenching his fists at his side. "Son of a bitch."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Please click on my pen name just below the title and take part in my poll for my next Liason fic. I'd really like to get started on it now while my muse for the other stories is on strike.**

** Thanks!  
-ROCkER**

* * *

With his family asleep upstairs, Sonny paces the living room floor trying to think of some way to end this nightmare for good. His contacts tell him that Jason was getting closer to finding the brunette that just couldn't be satisfied with what she was given. If only she would have conformed to the part of Jason that was available to her, maybe then Sonny wouldn't have to go against the only rule he lived by. He'll go back to leaving women and children out of it once she was dealt with.

"Do it." Sonny says into his phone as he pours himself a glass of scotch. "I don't want there to be any trace of the girl, understand?"

"Got it."

"Better yet, leave no trace of that building." Sonny states, downing the glass before pouring another one. "I want this thing to disappear for good."

"Got it."

Ending the call, Sonny slumps down onto the couch. This wasn't his fault. He had to do this. He has to protect what he holds close at all cost. His family is most important to him and there was no way he was giving them up, no way in hell. Getting rid of the girl is what's best for everyone. Jason will learn to move on, like he always does, soon he will forget the woman and their lives will return to how it should be. Its best for everyone. He had to believe that.

"Get up!" Johnny nudges Jason in the passenger seat. "We're getting closer."

"Something's not right." Francis mutters, staring out the window at the passing scenery. "I can feel it in my gut."

"I hate it when you say that." Johnny sighs, taking a left turn. "Why can't you ever have a good feeling when we're on a rescue mission?"

"I can't help what I feel." Francis states, gripping the sides of his pants tightly. "And I have a very bad feeling about this."

Jason sits by, staring out the windshield, not listening to the conversation going in within the vehicle. He couldn't focus on Francis's bad feelings. He had to believe that this was it. He's going to find her and bring her home, putting an end to Manuel " Manny" Ruiz in the process. He had to believe that she was okay and that it would all be over soon. He had to believe it. All else was inconceivable.

"Something's not right." Johnny states, pulling over to the side of the road.

"I just got through saying that." Francis points out, taking his gun from under the seat where he placed it. "What do you see?"

"Bodies." Jason says, finding what Johnny was pointing at. "Someone beat us here."

"You think someone's taking Elizabeth from Ruiz?" Francis questions, making sure his gun was set. "That doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know." Jason says, opening his door. "But we have to get in there."

Locked and loaded, the three of them get out of the car and make their way to the compound. Jason was starting to feel that bad feeling both of the them were talking about and he hated it. It was strong, coming from the depth of his gut and he was fighting hard to not believe it.

Francis, on the other hand, is tuning into his gut feeling. He observes the vicinity as they are approaching it and spots something off to the side. It was the only thing off with the entire scene before him. His heart nearly stopping, Francis grabs Johnny, yanking him back.

"Jason, get down!" Francis shots, shoving Johnny to the ground. "NOW!"

Jason keeps moving, but before he can get close enough, Francis tackles him to the ground. Moments after they hit the ground, the entire building explodes, flames so high they could almost reach the heavens. Staring from his spot on the ground, Jason's heart explodes in his chest, he felt like his world just imploded upon itself. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening.

"STOP!" Francis shouts as Jason pushes him off, grabbing him again before he can run into the building. "Just stop!"

"She could still be alive!" Jason shouts, not wanting to believe that she was gone. "LET GO!"

"The place is gone!" Francis holds arms behind him tighter. "Look at it, dammit! There's nothing left!"

"She can't be gone." Jason's voice is broken as he stares at what's left of the building. "She just can't be."

"We'll search the rubble, but you may not like what we find." Johnny says, walking over to them. "Regardless, I'm in it if you are."

"I'm searching it." Jason states, sliding his gloves on. "I don't give a damn if there's nothing left."

"Francis?" Johnny looks at him intently. "You in or not?"

"Pointlessly search for some sign of the girl we all love?" Francis shrugs, grabbing his gloves from his back pocket. "Call me idiot number three because I'm in it."

The three of stand there, staring at the destruction laying before them, each deciding where they'll start. The three of them knew that this was pointless, searching a building so utterly destroyed, but they couldn't go home until they've done everything they possibly could. Jason had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, a small voice telling him not to give up hope. In spite of the destruction, he just knew he couldn't give up.

"Its done." the bomber informs Sonny. "Nothing's left."

"Good." Sonny states, downing his whiskey. "The money has been transferred into your account."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Corinthos." the caller says sadistically. "Maybe we'll do this again sometime."

"Only in your dreams." Sonny states, ending the call and downing the rest of the bottle. "One time only...it had to be done. She had to die...she had to."

Carly stands on the stairs, staring down at the man she thought she knew. She's been ignoring it for the last two weeks, trying to believe that he'd never take things too far, but this was something she couldn't ignore. Something she wouldn't ignore. Silently making her way back upstairs, Carly goes back to bed, she'll figure out how to handle things in the morning. For now she'll just mourn the marriage she had thought would last, with the man that she thought she knew.

"You're safe." the woman says softly, tucking her in with a cozy afghan. "We're both lucky my eldest son was hired to destroy the building or we would never have been able to escape."

Setting up the IV, to help ward off any infection as the drug leaves Elizabeth's body, the woman watches as she relaxes once again. In all her life, being forced into drugging Elizabeth had to be at the top of her list of things she'll regret for as long as she lives. With everything set up to monitor Elizabeth, she walks over to the crib where her son lays asleep. Everything she has done was to keep her son safe. To make sure that she bought enough time to get her son out of this country safe and sound.

"Mommy's here." she whispers to her son as she picks him up out of his crib. "Everything is okay."

Rocking him back and forth in her arms, she walks over to where Elizabeth is laying asleep, her heart going out to the young soon-to-be mother. Soon the drug will be out of her system and then she'll be able to help the woman return to her family. For now, she'll make sure that she's as comfortable as possible.

"Soon this will be nothing but a memory." she whispers, turning down the light. "I hope you will someday understand why I've done what I've done. A mother's moral code is cast aside when their child is at risk, something I'm certain you will learn in the future. Our children are our lives. We'll lie, cheat and steal for them...and on rare occasions, we'd kill for them."

Rummaging through the rubble, Jason's heart is barely beating, fearing what he'll find. As he's pushing apart the debris, he hears a slight moan, a little shocked to find that someone has survived the explosion. An explosion of that magnitude was damn near impossible to survive. He had hoped it was Elizabeth, but the sound was more male than female. With Johnny and Francis's help, they removed the large debris from atop the survivor.

"Morgan." the man mutters, staring up at him, knowing he was about to die. "Should have known you'd find this place."

"Where is she?" Jason glares at him, not wanting to hear the usual mumbo jumbo.

"Your guess is as good as mine." he gasps for air, feeling his death coming. "Though I'd guess she was taken out with the nurse that was tending to her."

"Make your last moments count." Francis states, aiming his gun at his head once Johnny pulled Jason off of the dying man. "You can die fast...or painfully."

"What did Ruiz want with her?" Johnny questions when he sees the guy wants to cooperate.

"He was hired." he coughs blood, gasping for air. "I didn't get how a girl like her could be a threat to someone that powerful."

"Who?" Francis questions firmly. "Who hired him?"

"No women and children. Stupid." the man laughs through the pain, dying right before their eyes.

"He didn't mean..." Johnny looks at Francis with an arched eyebrow. "You think?"

"Jason?" Francis puts his gun away. "Is it possible?"

"Only one way to find out." Jason states, clenching his fists at his sides. "Lets get out of here."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	14. Chapter 14

The air within Robin's apartment is thick with anticipation as they wait on news about Elizabeth. They have been together, forsaking the outside world, since the three men left town to track her down. Both waiting by their cellphones, trying to keep each other calm, Emily and Robin couldn't wait to finally get the call. After Francis's call telling them about the explosion, neither of them has been able to sleep a wink. They had to know either way...dead or alive, they had to know.

When a knock sounds at the door, both women practically jump right out of her seats. Making it abundantly clear that they were both on edge - despite how hard they were trying to remain calm. Emily gestures for Robin to get the door, seeing as it was her apartment and all.

With a shaky hand, she pulls open the door, finding Francis and Johnny on the other side. They were both covered in ashes from the remnants of the exploded building. Johnny walks past Robin, right into the waiting arms of his girlfriend. After the last few days he has lived through, Johnny just needed to hold her close for a moment.

"Is she alive?" Robin asks Francis, closing the door behind him.

"We don't know." Francis admits sadly. "We're not going to stop until we find her, Robin. That much I'm sure of."

"I just can't believe this is happening." Robin fights off the tears. "After everything...I just..."

"Hey..." Francis wraps his arms around her, giving her comfort, knowing she needed it most. "We'll find her."

"But will she be alive when you do?" Robin counters, shutting her eyes tightly, clinging to Francis. "I can't lose her."

"None of us can." Francis agrees, rubbing her back soothingly. "You just have to keep the faith that she's still alive and that we'll find her before anything happens."

"Where's Jason?" Robin pulls away slightly. "Is he okay?"

"He's as okay as you'd expect." Francis concedes, letting out a deep sigh. "We split up at the airport. He should be at the warehouse."

"I should go check on him." Robin pulls away completely walking over to get her jacket and purse. "Can you give me a ride?"

"Sure." Francis says without hesitation, holding open the door.

"Em, you heading out?" Robin turns to Emily.

"Yeah." Emily shakes her head, pulling away from Johnny to take his hand in hers. "We'll be at my house if you need anything."

"Okay." Robin accepts, the four of the leaving Robin's apartment before going their separate ways.

Emily could feel that Johnny was taking it really hard. Though he and Elizabeth weren't so close, he still cared a lot about her and she knows he can't even begin to accept that she may be dead. She knows that because she couldn't even stomach the thought of it.

"You okay?" Emily asks as she pulls out into the street.

"Yeah." Johnny whispers, holding her hand in his. "I just...she has to be alive. She has to be."

"She is." Emily says with conviction. "I believe in my heart that she is."

"I hope you're right." Johnny places a loving kiss atop her hand, stroking it gently with his thumb. "I don't think Jason can survive losing her."

Jason is going stir crazy trying to come up with the best way to confront Sonny. He knows he should have checked in on Sam, she was the innocent one in all of this, but he couldn't bring himself to make the venture home. Francis said that he's handling the situation with Sam. Jason didn't really care to ask how as long as Sam will be happy in the end.

Going through photos of Elizabeth, Jason wishes more than anything that he could find her. That he could get some kind of sign that she was okay and that he would find her safe and sound. He's about to store the photo albums in his safe when a knock sounded at the door.

"Hey." Robin sticks her head in. "Up for some company?"

"Only if its you." Jason says, standing up from his spot behind the desk. "And you don't ask how I'm doing or if I need anything."

"I wouldn't dare." Robin smiles slightly, walking into the office before closing the door behind her. "I'm actually here because I need to tell you something."

"Bad news?"

"Depends." Robin shrugs her shoulders, walking over to lean against the desk beside him. "I called the hospital after you left town...I needed to know why Elizabeth was there before she was taken."

"And?" Jason looks at her intently. "Did you find out why?"

"After a lot of begging and deal making...yeah." Robin takes a deep breath. "I found out why."

"Well..." Jason pushes away from the desk to stand in front of her. "Why was she there?"

"You have to promise me you won't beat yourself up." Robin says firmly. "Its not your fault she was taken and I have all the faith in the world that you'll bring her home alive."

"Why was she there, Robin?" Jason says more forcefully, staring at her intently.

"She was there for a pregnancy test." Robin concedes, watching as the wind is literally knocked right out of him with her next statement. "She's pregnant, Jason."

Dark clouds hang overhead, thunder rocking the house through to its foundation, rain pouring hard outside. The door to the house opens up to produce the woman's second oldest son, drenched through ever layer of his clothing, a look on his face that made her stomach churn.

"Its time." he says firmly.

"She's not ready." she pleads with him. "She needs me here to monitor her, to make sure she survives past this."

"Its not on you to keep her safe." he counters sternly. "You see that little boy there? He's the one that needs you, ma."

"But she's innocent." she glances back at Elizabeth, who's still unconscious. "Its not fair."

"Life's not fair." he states. "You need to think about your son. He still has a chance of escaping this life and have a real one. The window is closing...you need to leave now!"

"But..."

"Now, ma." he says with conviction. "We may never get a chance like this again."

"Can't we compromise?" she pleads with her son. "At least allow me to call an ambulance to come an get her...she needs to be monitored."

"Fine." he concedes begrudgingly. "I'll call an ambulance once I know you're both safe. Okay?"

"Okay." she walks back over to Elizabeth. "I'm so sorry...I must leave for the sake of my son. Be safe."

With a heavy heart, the woman gathers up her youngest son, leaving the cabin with the guards her elder sons have appointed to them. After stripping the house of anything tying his family to it, the man stands beside Elizabeth, every part of him hating that she would be on her own from here on out. His duty is to his family.

"Lo siento, mucho." he says in a hushed voice before leaving the house, calling for the ambulance as he speeds away from the building.

Hours later, her vitals unstable, Elizabeth is admitted into a small town hospital as Jane Doe. Still very much unconscious and no signs of waking up, it looked like things weren't looking too good for her or her baby. Doctors monitor her profusely, given the information from the son - anonymously of course - they hope for the best, none of them wanting to deal with the death of a young pregnant woman.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	15. Chapter 15

Speeding down the highway, wanting to get the hell out of dodge, his mind travels back to the young mother that he left in the hospital's care. A hundred different thoughts play through his mind, cursing himself for having a conscience. This isolated moment, he wishes more than anything that the he can be like his older brother.

Unlike him, his older brother could turn away without a second thought. He could kill without regret and do what was necessary to protect their family. He, on the other hand, he couldn't feel some sort of regret for leaving the woman the way he did.

The hospitals in that part of Guatemala are far from perfect and there's no telling what kind of diseases she could contract by being in that hospital. Slamming his fists against the steering wheel, he begs his conscience to shut up. He had to think of his family. His duty is to them. His loyalty is to them.

"¡Ah, mierda!" he curses, slamming his breaks and making a sharp u-turn. "Pendejo!"

Slamming the gas, he drives as fast as his car can take him back to the woman. Was he a complete idiot for doing what he's thinking of doing, damn straight, but he's doing it anyway. His brother will have to secure their mother and baby brother on his own.

Getting to the only viable hospital that she'd be in, he avoids the few cameras they have, making it to her room without much trouble. Finding her chart, he rifles through it, seeing that she wasn't getting any better. With a nurse for a mother, there are things that you just pick up over the years.

They weren't making her any better, if anything, she was getting worse. Unhooking her from the monitors after shutting them off, he lifts her into his arms and carries her out of the hospital. If she was going to make it past this, the way his mother wants her to, he's going to have to take care of her himself.

Securing her in his vehicle, wrapping her up in the hospital blanket, he gets into the driver's seat and peels out of the hospital. He has a safehouse, off the books from his family's organization, where they'll be safe until she heals.

Every part of him told him this was insane, that he was begging to be killed, but that didn't stop him from driving through the back roads of Guatemala. That didn't stop him from taking her to the only safe place he owns in the whole country and making her comfortable in his king sized bed.

It didn't stop him from using his medical supplies to take care of her and keep her warm as her body regains its stamina. That didn't stop him from putting his life on the line to make sure that she lives past this. For, in spite of it all, his mother was right. She's innocent in his family's drive for freedom and he'll make sure that she survives long enough to make it back to her family.

Wedding bells are ringing, the sun is shining, this should be the happiest day of her life. All around her are family and friends, gathered to witness her union with one of Port Charles's most eligible bachelors. Of course, with Jason, the term is used loosely.

Walking back into her bridal quarters, Sam ignores the fact that Jason hasn't shown up, that she hasn't seen him in days. She ignores the fact that she could very well be stood up at the alter and made to look like a fool. She ignores that because she needed this to happen. She needs to marry Jason.

One of the alter boys knock on the door, signaling that it was time for her to walk down the isle.

"Is my fiance here?" she asks, hesitantly so.

"Yes, ma'am." the boy says before walking away.

"Shall we?" Francis holds out his arm for her to take.

"Francis?" she looks at him confusedly. "What are you doing here?"

"Pretending to be the father of the bride." Francis says simply, taking her arm and linking it with his. "Ready?"

"More than ever." she says, allowing him to walk her to the entrance of the church, not at all ready for the man that waited for her. "Wha...how?"

"I know you had your heart set on marrying Jason, but I thought he would work better." Francis hands her a hankie when she starts to tear up. "Sonny threatened him to leave the country...we found him."

"I...I thought he was dead."

"Sonny made it that way." Francis explains. "He threatened him with your life."

"I...thank you." she wraps her arms around Francis, her heart finally feeling peace for the first time that day. "Thank you!"

"Lets get you married." Francis whispers softly, proceeding to walk her down the isle to the true love of her life.

Sam stares into the eyes of the man that she loved more than life itself. She had been shattered when she believed that he died and she didn't think she'd ever get past it until Jason. Now that she knows Sonny had threatened him, that he didn't really die, Sam's world found its balance again.

Finally getting to the alter, she throws her arms around him, thanking the lord for giving her this second chance. For giving them a second chance. The wedding proceeds without interruption, Sonny nowhere to be seen, and finally she is happier than she has ever been.

"What about Sonny?" Sam questions, standing by the limo with her husband.

"Don't worry about him." Francis assures. "Jason's handling him as we speak. Be happy, Sam. You deserve it."

"Thank you." Sam wraps her arms around him, truly grateful for all he has done. "Will I ever see you guys again?"

"You know where to find us." Francis says simply. "Take care."

Francis watches as she gets into the limo with her husband before he makes his way to the car. He knows Jason won't care for the details, so he simply sends him a two worded text. "She's happy." Sending that, Francis makes his way to the warehouse where he'll soon be needed.

Jason, on the other hand, secures his gun in his leather gloved hand. The door opens up, Carly standing in the doorway with Michael, a pained look on her face and he knows exactly how she feels. He never thought that he'd be doing this. That he'd be taking the life of his best friend, but that's exactly what he's doing.

"Our stuff is already at my mom's." Carly answers his questioning gaze. "I just got through telling him we're leaving."

"I'm sorry." Jason apologizes, knowing she hated this more than he did.

"Michael is my concern." Carly says plainly. "You do what you have to do. We'll be fine."

"Get out of here and make sure you have an alibi." Jason says seriously, glancing into the penthouse. "I'll check on you when its all done."

"We better. Mom's having a dinner party...you can use it as your alibi, too." Carly says seriously, kissing his cheek before leaving with Michael and the guards.

Walking in and closing the door, Jason disables all the cameras before making his way upstairs to Sonny's bedroom, where he'll undoubtedly be. Pushing open the door, gun drawn, Jason finds him amid destruction. Jason could tell that he wasn't surprised to see him.

"You really going to do it?" Sonny taunts him, downing a glass of scotch.

"You had to have seen this coming." Jason says plainly. "You had to have known I would the moment you made that phone call."

"She's dead." Sonny mutters, downing another glass of scotch, the fact that he caused the woman's death echoes through his mind. "Killing me won't bring her back."

"Maybe not." Jason cocks the gun. "But it helps."

"Shoot me, then." Sonny stands toe-to-toe with him. "Be a man and do it already."

"I'm not gonna shoot you." Jason shakes his head. "You taught me better than that."

Slamming his head against Sonny's, he drops him hard, knocking him out cold. Making fast work with the device, Jason secures it around Sonny after he ties him to headboard. Waiting for him to come to, Jason waits for the fog to clear from his eyes before he pulls the door open.

"Goodbye, Sonny." Jason states, watching as his former best friend and boss squirms against the restraints, finally realizing what Jason was doing.

Closing the door, he makes it to the lobby before he detonates the bomb, walking out of the building and getting into an unmarked car moments later. Driving as fast as he can, Jason drives the car off a ravine before getting onto his bike that was waiting for him.

He hated what he had to do, but took content in the fact that he ended the only danger true danger to Elizabeth. Now, knowing he still had to find her and bring her home, Jason makes his way to the Brownstone to solidify his alibi. Once he spent enough time there, he'll return to his search for Elizabeth. Hoping and praying he gets to her in time.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	16. Chapter 16

The dinner party long since over, Carly sits up by her son, her mind going over everything that has happened. She would soon get the call about Sonny, when she'll have to play to grieving wife, something she wasn't looking forward to.

Of course, it wouldn't be too hard because she was a grieving wife. She's grieving the man that she fell in love with. The man that somehow died along the way between them breaking up and getting back together again. Carly doesn't know what happened to the man she fell in love with, but she's certain that he's not the man that Jason killed.

The man she loves would never kill a woman. He would never call out a hit on a woman or child, let alone both. Sure, Elizabeth's child has not been born yet, but she was still pregnant with child. Not that Sonny knew about it - or maybe he did - there's not way to know for sure.

She didn't want to believe that he knew, though. She doesn't want to believe he'd ever kill a pregnant woman. With a sigh, she looks down at her son and - in that moment - she prays to god that Elizabeth makes it home alive. Jason deserves the chance to be a father.

Carly knows better than anyone that he'd never survive it if Elizabeth and their unborn child die. Jason would never move on from that. He wouldn't allow himself to live without them. If he lost them, the Jason she knows and loves would die to and she couldn't live with that.

So, for all their sakes, Carly prays to all the gods and goddesses, every last one of them in heaven, that she survives. That she makes it home with their child and that life moves on. She couldn't let herself think of the future, her heart still letting go of her past, but Carly could hope for one for Jason.

With Sam finally out of Jason's life, Sonny no longer a factor, Jason needs Elizabeth.

.

"Wasn't it Mr. Morgan that blew up the penthouse?" one of the guards question.

"Ask a question like that again and you won't live to find out." Francis snaps, having given out the orders to the men. "Get to work and report back to me! NOW! GO!"

Watching the men disperse, Francis makes his way to Jason's office. His mind stuck on what they've done. For Elizabeth, he would have strangled Sonny with his bare hands, but Jason was right. They had to make it seem like the rival family killed Sonny.

Shutting the door behind him, Francis thinks back to the past. All those days he had spent with Elizabeth. He knew that she needed him to keep her mind off of Jason and he didn't care. She had meant a lot to him, not that he ever let her know it before, but Francis always cared for her.

Usually a loner, Francis let her tag along whenever she asked. Soon enough he started looking forward to her. He started looking forward to her popping out of nowhere, calling him up out of the blue just to hang out, packing up a picnic and calling him to chill by the lake.

With her gone like this, Francis just couldn't process much of anything. He's snapping at the guards, he's losing his cool, Francis needs her back. He needs her around to keep him sane. If he lost her now, Francis wasn't sure what he'd do.

He wants to believe, just like Jason and Johnny, that she's still alive. That they will find her and bring her home, but he had his doubts. A place in his heart, he just feels like something's wrong, that - if she's alive - she's really sick. He just wants to find her. To bring her home. He should have been with her that day. He should have been her permanent guard.

.

Johnny's sitting with Emily on his lap, his mind travelling to what they've done. Francis should be giving the lower level guards their orders, sending them on a pointless search to keep face about Sonny's death. He couldn't keep face if he tried. He hates Sonny, hates him with a burning passion, and Johnny would never be able to feel bad that he's dead. Even to fake feeling the loss, Johnny would never be able to do it. So, by not being there, Johnny's making it seem like he's taking it hard.

"Hey." Emily touches his face softly, sensing something off with him. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." he says simply. "Everything's fine."

"As fine as it can be, right?" Emily counters. "I'm worried about her, too, Johnny. You don't have to fake it with me."

"I know, I'm sorry." Johnny sighs, laying his head against her shoulder, knowing that she was worried for him as well. "My mind's just all over the place right now."

"Why don't we talk about us then?" Emily suggests. "Maybe it'll take our mind off of Elizabeth, for now."

"Okay." he smiles slightly. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I was hoping we could finish our talk." she says carefully. "You know...the whole marriage thing."

"Ah." he looks at her curiously, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Well, like I said, I love you...I just don't know if I'm ready for that."

"I know its hard for you...being with me...it scares you because you don't want to lose me." Emily understands him better than anyone. "But there are no guarantees in life...we just have to take what we can get and make the most of it."

"I wish I had your confidence." Johnny says softly. "I suck at personal stuff, you know that. My work is the only thing I'm good at...this, between us, I'm the worst."

"I love you!" Emily says firmly. "And you love me...you're the only one that can love me the way you do...don't tell me your job is the only thing you're good at."

"I love you with all I've got in me...but love isn't always enough."

"Its enough for me!" Emily says seriously. "I don't need much from you, Johnny. All I need is for you to love me and for you to be here...that's it."

"I can't promise to always be here."

"But you're here now, right?"

"Right."

"Then its enough." Emily says with conviction. "I don't need you to make a million promises. I don't need you to make any promises. I just need you to love me."

"I'll always love you." Johnny says without hesitation. "You're my life, but marriage comes with kids and I want you to have that...I want to give that to you...I just..."

"You're not ready." Emily finishes for him when he can't say it. "Its okay. I'm in no hurry."

"Em..."

"I'm serious." Emily cuts him off, knowing what he was going to say just by the tone of his voice. "I'm in no hurry for any of that...just knowing you want that too...its enough."

"I love you, beautiful!"

"I love you, too." Emily swears, kissing him soundly. "All I need is you...that's it. The rest will come if it comes...its you that I can't live without, Johnny. Just you."

.

Jason has let himself into Elizabeth's apartment, making his way to her bedroom, hoping to feel closer to her there. His whole world has come to a screeching halt since he found the note. Then finding that it wasn't from her, his entire body went numb. Nothing made sense without her.

Being her best friend, it wasn't that hard to put his feelings for her aside, her leaving helped a lot, too. He had always missed her, wishing she were with him, but the distance helped numb the love he felt. Now that he knows she felt the same way, Jason needs her there. He wants her there, always and forever.

With her gone, with some unknown person, Jason just couldn't think straight. He just couldn't feel anything because all he'd feel is pain. Knowing he hadn't protected her from the one person that proved the most dangerous, that he hadn't seen the threat Sonny became...Jason just couldn't stomach the thought.

Killing Sonny, looking him in the eye before he closed the door on him, Jason just never thought he'd see that day come true. For Sonny to have caused this much pain, Jason couldn't believe it. The man that had taught him so much, mostly about how to treat a woman, for him to call out a hit on Elizabeth...it was just too much to bear.

"Morgan." he answers his cellphone, picking up a framed picture of him and Elizabeth from years before.

"Its me." Johnny says, watching as Emily walks into the shower. "Where you at?"

"Liz's apartment." he admits, setting down the picture.

"I know you hate it when people ask this..."

"Then don't ask." Jason cuts him off. "Why are you even calling me right now? You should be with Emily."

"She's..uh, indisposed right now." Johnny concedes. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Stop worrying about me and focus on my sister." Jason says plainly, moving to sit up against the headboard, glancing around the room. "I'm fine."

"I'm here if you need to talk."

"I don't." Jason states. "Even if I did..."

"I know...Elizabeth is the only one you'd talk to." Johnny knew that before he even suggested it.

"I appreciate you calling, but I don't need you checking up on me." Jason says plainly. "Go be with my sister. I'll see you in the morning."

Ending the call before Johnny could say much more, Jason lays down, curled up in her blankets. Her scent was fading from the material, but he could still smell her within them. His heart ached worse than it ever did before. Knowing that she was out there somewhere, pregnant no less, it was killing him inside.

Talking to Carly didn't help anything. He felt bad for unloading Elizabeth's pregnancy on her. Jason knew that she was hurting over Sonny, the fact that he was no longer the man either of them loved, and adding Elizabeth being pregnant just wasn't fair. She had pushed him to it, though, asking so many damn questions.

Closing his eyes, Jason allowed himself to think of Elizabeth. To remember their first kiss...their first time together...all the times after that. He allowed himself to remember the first time they made love after she returned. The first time she allowed herself to want him. To need him.

"Morgan." he answers his cellphone, swearing that if its Johnny he'll kill him.

"Mr. Morgan, this is Madam Louise." a woman's voice greets him. "Elizabeth's boss."

"Of course." Jason sits upright. "Robin told me you had called...we haven't found her yet."

"I was told you had no leads." the woman says plainly. "Well, I have one for you."

"You do?" he asks, more than a little surprised.

"Robin told me about the explosion. Being the resourceful woman that I am, I pulled a few strings and had Elizabeth picture faxed through the hospitals in South America."

"I take it you got a hit."

"She was picked up by an ambulance in the small town of Santa Jose, Guatemala." she informs him, causing him to bolt out of bed. "A couple days later the hospital is shot up before being set on fire."

His heart tightens, she couldn't be dead, why would the woman call him for that?

"There were many casualties, but she was not one of them." the woman explains. "Apparently, she had been taken from the hospital moments before. I know its not much to go on, but I've sent you a picture of the man that took her from the hospital."

"Thank you for letting me know."

"I love that girl like family." she says fiercely, love seeping into her voice. "You find her, Mr. Morgan or I will use my resources to put you behind bars."

"If I don't find her...you can kill me for all I care." Jason says seriously. "Elizabeth is my life."

"Good. Now go find her."

He didn't have time to end the call because the line went dead. Sure enough, seconds later, a picture of the man pops up on his phone. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but they did regardless. His first real lead, not only a place, but a face to go with it. Guatemala. Well, then Guatemala is where he's headed. Calling up Johnny and Francis, he walks out of Elizabeth's apartment and gets into the SUV. He's going to find her. He has to. If she ends up being dead, Jason will gladly hand a gun over to her boss and demand she pulled the trigger. He's nothing without Elizabeth and he'll die before he lives without her.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	17. Chapter 17

The storm has returned over the small town, thunder and lightening booming overhead as he takes care of the young mother. Using a wash rag, he gently wipes the sweat from her face, knowing that she was coming down with a fever.

Her vitals are getting stronger, making him worry a little less over the sudden fever that has come on. Wiping her down, as much as is respectable, he covers her up with the blanket and settles in with one of his books. His brother had been angry, to say the least, that he had bailed on them.

Normally he'd be right there along with him if it had been their mother, but she's safe with their baby brother and - to him - that's all that mattered. His life didn't really mean much, as far as he was concerned, death was a constant threat that it barely registered to him anymore.

"I can't believe they wouldn't let me come!" Robin exclaims, storming into Emily's house, catching her by surprise.

"Jesus, Robin!" Emily snaps, setting her tea cup down on the table. "What are you trying to do to me, woman? I'm too young to have a heart attack."

"Oh...uh, sorry." Robin shuts the door, feeling badly for startling her. "That sounds really good right about now, though."

"I put out a cup for you." Emily gestures to the empty tea cup beside hers. "There's a doorbell for a reason, Robin."

"I know...sorry." Robin walks over and sits beside her. "I take it you're mad about them going without you, too, huh?"

"What do you think?" Emily counters, picking up her tea cup once Robin was settled into the couch. "I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown with all of them out there."

"And, as usual, we're stuck here worrying about them." Robin sighs, running her fingers through her hair. "I don't know how much more I can take of this."

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Wonder who that could be." Emily comments, rising to her feet to look through the peephole. "No way."

"Who is it?" Robin jumps up, truly curious by the look on Emily's face, wanting to see who it was for herself. "Holy crap!"

"Should we let her in?" Emily looks at Robin curiously.

"Up to you." Robin holds her hands up in surrender, walking backwards to the couch. "Your house after all."

"Gee, thanks." Emily rolls her eyes before pulling open the door. "Carly...hey."

"Jason called me." Carly said as a greeting. "Got room for two more?"

"Sure." Emily steps aside. "Come on in."

Together, the three women and Michael, settle in for the long night day ahead of them. Their hearts were" all with the men they loved, hoping and praying that they find Elizabeth and bring her home safely. It wasn't just Jason that would be devastated by the loss of the brunette. All three of their men would be. They would be. Elizabeth couldn't die now. She just couldn't.

While the women are keeping themselves together, altogether avoiding Sonny's death and the police, the men are searching the entire town in Guatemala for Elizabeth. In such a small town, there weren't many willing to talk to them. The doctors that treated Elizabeth were killed during the hospital crisis.

The nurses won't talk and neither would the rest of the town. Knowing the kind of mobs they had in that part of the country, Jason wasn't at all surprised by their lack of willingness to help out. He will find her, regardless of the kind of help he receives from the locals. He will find her. He had to.

"We need to stop for food." Francis speaks up, knowing the other two wouldn't.

"We keep moving." Jason states, walking through the streets.

"We're no help to Elizabeth if we run ourselves into the ground." Francis states firmly, trying his best to play the role of his best friend until they find her. Knowing she'd kill them if they didn't take care of themselves along the way.

"He's right, man." Johnny slips in. "We need to keep ourselves fueled to go."

"Fine." Jason relents, his own stomach shouting at him to eat something. "Ten minutes. Not a second more."

"Fine with me." Francis says as they walk into one of the food shacks.

Grabbing something quick to eat, Jason sits, thinking about Elizabeth and overcome with a feeling that she was close. He hasn't had a strong feeling about Elizabeth in a while and that gave him hope. He'll find her soon, he knows it. He can feel it in his heart and his gut. From the look on Francis's face, he believed it, too. The overshadowing emotion was an emotion Jason chooses to overlook.

Johnny watches as the other two men eat their grub. His mind travelling back to his conversation with Emily. He wanted nothing more than to marry her and give her the family that she wants. Knowing that, in spite of how well she argued to the contrary, she wanted it in the foreseeable future. Not in the distant future.

Watching Jason, the way he's searching frantically for the woman he loves, it gave Johnny pause. He never wants to be Jason, searching for Emily and their unborn child, it would damn near kill him. He's surprised that Jason hasn't fallen apart yet. Doubting that he'd ever have that kind of strength if Emily was the one missing.

Right now its just his friend that's missing. Someone he cared a lot about, but not someone he's in love with. If Emily were to ever be caught in the crossfire and he was forced to search the world for her...Johnny doubts he'd have the strength to keep himself together for as long as Jason has. He'll revisit the idea of marriage and kids later, for now he'll keep his mind on Elizabeth and bringing her home safely.

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, the man is working hard to feed Elizabeth something. She needed to keep food down, for the sake of her health and her baby. She was still very weak, unable to sit up on her own, but she didn't fight him.

After much convincing, she allowed him to feed her, accepting that he wasn't a threat to her or her unborn child. Although it was only soup, he felt relieved that she had kept it down. Laying her back in bed, he stands by her side, watching her as she falls back into a peaceful slumber.

She was slowly regaining her strength, her mind clearing up more and more, and soon she'd be strong enough to feed herself. The fever was starting to break, having to do it without medication, for fear of harming the child.

He hopes that her recovery speeds up, wanting to get the hell out of dodge once she's strong enough to make it back to her loved ones on her own. He knows it was the right choice, taking her from the hospital. She'd be dead had he not done it.

He feels bad, of course, that his retrieving her cost other's their lives. His family's enemies not one to mess around, but it came with the territory. Each and every local knows the risk of living in that town, none of them innocent, so he didn't feel too much guilt.

Elizabeth is his one and only concern right now. After finding out that his mother and baby brother made it out of the country in one piece, it has freed up his focus to put it on the young mother. Once he gets her back to normal, he'll send her on her way and find his way to his family. Back to where he belongs.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	18. Chapter 18

Elizabeth could feel her strength coming back to her. Its the strongest she has felt in such a long time and as she found her strength returning, she couldn't help but wonder how long she has been there. She remembers a woman, elderly but not that old because she had a baby with her.

She remembers her words as if they were spoken just yesterday, but she knows that it must have been longer than that. Slowly sitting up, Elizabeth touches her stomach, finding that it has formed into a well developed bump. Not big, so that gave her relief that it hasn't been as long as she had thought, but it was still too long for her liking.

From the formation of her bump, it had to have been at least three months since she was taken. Three months away from everyone she loves. Three months of being held captive by people she didn't know. She wonders if her boss went ahead with the opening of the gallery.

She wonders if Jason is looking for her. She wonders about Robin and Emily. How they're doing, if anyone even notices that she's gone, if anyone is looking for her. Three months, give or take, and Elizabeth wasn't liking it one bit.

Rising to her feet, she glances around the room. It was comfortable enough, meaning that whoever is taking care of her really didn't mean her any harm. At least she hopes that's the case. Finding what looked like a cane, Elizabeth uses it to help her walk out of the room.

"You shouldn't be up." the man wipes his hands on a dishtowel. "You're not strong enough to be walking on your own."

In spite of the situation she was in, Elizabeth didn't feel afraid of him, so she eased right into her normal behavior. Lifting the cane slightly, she arches her eyebrow, as if daring him to tell her that it didn't count. Which, of course, being that man that he is, he tells her just that.

"Come here and sit." he says seriously, pulling out a chair for her. "I'd rather not undo all the progress you've made."

"I wouldn't want to do that." she smiles slightly, allowing him to help her. He seemed genuine enough, kind even, and she wondered how he got mixed up in all this. "Do I get to know your name?"

"Lorenzo." he says simply. "I'm making you breakfast, so I hope you'll be able to keep it down today."

"I'm not sure." she admits, remembering how hard it had been to just keep down the soup.

"Doesn't hurt to try." he says simply, slapping the dishtowel onto his shoulder before finishing up with breakfast. "If you can't keep it down, I'll fix you some more soup."

She hates soup, but if its the only thing that she can keep down, she wasn't about to turn it down. She watches him as he skillfully cooks breakfast, a part of her wanting to know more, but not stupid enough to push any further. She doesn't know him and he doesn't owe her anything. He's saving her life, the least she could do is respect his privacy.

"How long have I been here?" she finds herself asking, needing to know.

"Here?" he looks at her for a moment before returning to his task at hand. "About a month and a half."

"Okay...do you know how long its been since I was taken?"

"From what I was told...three months, give or take." he confirms her suspicions. Three months, give or take...way too long. "I'm gonna be going into town for supplies. Is there anything you'd want?"

"Um...no thanks." Elizabeth shakes her head. "I don't know what part you played in it, but I think you've done enough by nursing me back to health."

"I played no part in your kidnapping." Lorenzo snaps before forcing himself to remember that she didn't know him. "My family...they got caught up in your situation and I've just been doing everything I can to protect them."

"Your family?"

"My mother is a nurse and she was blackmailed into doing something she'd never do if her son wasn't in danger." Lorenzo explains, needing her to understand where he and his mother fit in. "She's the reason you and your baby are alive today. If not for her, you would've been killed along with everyone else in that warehouse."

"Oh." she whispers, sliding her hands over her baby. "I wish I could thank her then."

"I'll thank her for you." he replies with a slight smile. "I had initially left you at a hospital, but when I went to check on you...you were dying in there."

"So you took me back and nursed me back to health?" she guesses, finding the man before her almost as complex as Jason.

"My mother has a soft spot for you." he gives as an explanation. "And I didn't think you deserved any of what has happened to you."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me...that's not why I did it." he counters, fixing her a plate. "Now, eat up. I'll only be in town for an hour at the most."

"Okay."

"And don't worry...you're almost strong enough to return to your family." he says reassuringly. "I just want to make sure you can make it through an entire flight without relapsing."

That marked the end of their conversation, leading him to gather his things and leave the safe house for more supplies. Elizabeth watched him leave, wondering how much longer it would have to be before she was healthy enough to fly back to Port Charles.

Back to her family. A part of her wondered if Jason would be waiting for her or if he'd be married to Sam already. The thought of him being married to her almost caused her to lose her appetite, but she knew that she had to get something down. For her baby's sake, if nothing else.

Eating the food presented to her, Elizabeth finds that she likes whatever it was that he cooked for her. Lorenzo is a unique name, she can honestly say she has never heard it before, but it suits the man that has deemed himself her savior.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	19. Chapter 19

Jason, Johnny, and Francis were at their wits' end when they finally catch a break. Standing just don't the street from them, buying supplies, is the man from the photograph that Elizabeth's boss provided for them. Their first instinct is to grab him and make him tell them where he's keeping Elizabeth, but Jason's logical side kicks in and they wait.

They follow him as he does his errands, buying various items through the market. He stops frequently, talking with various locals and vendors. With Jason's patience running thin, he wished he'd just go back to wherever the hell he came from so they could get to Elizabeth already.

What they didn't know was that Lorenzo was onto them. He made those various stops, having spotted them from the moment they started following him. In a small town, like the one he lives in, strangers stand out like a sore thumb. He was simply biding his time so that he can get a head start and lose them in the crowd.

"Dammit!" Jason exclaims, rushing forward. "After him!"

"We're right behind you!" Francis shouts, trying to get past the locals.

Lorenzo makes it up to the safe house, knowing that he didn't do that great a job of losing the men following him. The safe house was only safe because it was in a part of town that locals wouldn't dare venture to and it wasn't connected to his family in any way. It would do no good for three men coming after him.

"Get back in the room." Lorenzo orders Elizabeth, going for his guns, not at all pleased to have to use them.

"Wha...what's happening?" Elizabeth looks at him confusedly. "Lorenzo?"

"Just do it, please!" he looks at her, practically begging her to do as he asks. "Please, Elizabeth, just do it."

"Okay." she says, rising to her feet, using the cane to brace herself. "Okay. I'm going."

She could see that something was terribly wrong, her hand going over her growing abdomen as she limps her way over to the bedroom. She fears for him, getting the feeling that he was genuinely a good person, wishing that she could help him somehow.

"Lorenzo..." she calls to him, fear gripping her.

"Its gonna be okay." he tries to reassure her, keeping his voice soothing. "Just stay hidden...no one knows you're up here."

"But..."

"No matter what you hear, you stay hidden." he says seriously. "Promise me!"

"I promise." she says, fighting off the tears. "I promise, okay?"

"Go." he turns his attention back to the front door, bracing himself for the hell that will undoubtedly fall upon him.

In spite of her fear for him, Elizabeth retreats into the room, locking the door as she braces herself against it. She shuts her eyes as she listens to the room just on the other side of the door, hoping that things would be okay. That he can somehow stop whatever intruder is coming and that he'll be safe.

Jason, Johnny, and Francis burst into the safehouse one by one, their guns trained on Lorenzo, but he doesn't back down. He couldn't. Elizabeth depended on him and he couldn't let them kill him now. He was the only hope she had at getting back to her family. Not to mention his family that needed him to survive this.

"Drop it." Johnny's voice is low and firm, the other two to angry to utter a word. It was one hell of a run to that damn place.

"I'll drop it when I'm dead." Lorenzo counters, holding both guns in his hands. "And, trust me, I'll be taking you all along with me."

"Where is she?" Jason's voice is low, struggling to maintain his composure.

"Who?" Lorenzo feigns stupidity, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive.

"Don't play stupid with me!" Jason bellows. "You know exactly who I'm talking about! Where is she?"

Elizabeth had been straining to hear the voices on the other side, but there was no mistaking the last voice she heard. Jason. He came for her. And in that same thought, another hit her just as hard. Lorenzo. Yanking the door open, she places herself between Lorenzo and her guys, as fast as she can manage anyway.

"Elizabeth." Lorenzo says pleadingly, eyeing her intently.

"Liz..." Jason's features soften at the sight of her, their baby clearly forming for all to see.

"Its okay." she says to Jason before looking over her shoulder at Lorenzo. "They're okay."

"Are you sure?" Lorenzo looks at her intently, moving to lower his guns.

"I'm sure." Elizabeth turns back to her guys, a stern look on her face. "Tell him you're not going to hurt him."

"Liz..." all three men say at once, glancing between each other before looking at her again.

"Jason...please, he saved my life." she takes his free hand to rest over her stomach. "He saved our lives."

Her guys didn't have time to think because she ended up falling back into Lorenzo's arms. It was clear that she had been through enough and was trying her hardest to use whatever strength she had to ensure that they didn't kill each other.

Lorenzo doesn't give any care to the three men as he carries Elizabeth to the couch. Jason felt a wave of hurt as he watched him take care of Elizabeth, propping her up so that she was comfortable. He didn't know what was going on between the two, but it was clear that they forged some kind of connection.

"Jason..." Johnny starts to say, eliciting a glare from Jason.

"She's alive, that's all that matters." Jason snaps, walking over to kneel by Elizabeth while Lorenzo walks over to the kitchen to get a damp washrag. "Hey...how're you feeling?"

"Weak." she admits, taking in a shaky breath. "I'm just starting to regain my strength."

Lorenzo was about to walk back over to her when Johnny and Francis block his way.

"Jason." she says seriously, gesturing to Lorenzo.

"Stand down you two." Jason says plainly, keeping his focus on Elizabeth.

Reluctantly moving aside, the two watch on as Lorenzo makes his way to Elizabeth, scooting Jason aside to set the washrag down on Elizabeth's forehead.

"Thank you." she says softly, relishing in the cool feel against her forehead.

"Sure." Lorenzo replies, kneeling down before handing her the water. "I told you to take it easy."

"You're welcome." she smiles slightly. "I mean, that was a thank you for returning the favor, right?"

"I would've taken my chances." Lorenzo says seriously. "I won't condone something happening to you or your baby just because you wanted to save my life."

"I heard his voice." she says simply, looking at Jason fondly before looking back at Lorenzo. "I knew I would be safe, but you wouldn't be."

"Still..." Lorenzo sighs, shaking his head. "Thank you...now try to relax. I'm gonna put the stuff away."

"Jason...Jason!" she forces him to look at her and away from Lorenzo. "Help me into the bedroom...we need to talk."

With a nod, he lifts her into his arms, relishing in the fact that she clings to him. It gave him hope that she didn't hate him completely. Closing the door behind them by kicking it shut, Jason carries her over to the bed to lay her down. If nothing else, he's thankful that she has been comfortable since leaving the hospital.

"Liz..." he's about to say, but is immediately cut off by her lips as they come crashing down on his.

She knew they had to talk, pointing it out herself, but she just couldn't help it. She needed to feel his lips against hers, she needed to know that he still felt the same way, that he still cared about her. The absence of a ring on his finger had given her hope, but he could have easily have put the wedding off when he found out she had gone missing.

"Whoa..." Jason pulls away, completely out of breath. Any doubts in his mind having vanished by that point. "Wh..what was that for?"

"You found me." she says simply, smiling up at him. "I wasn't sure if you knew I was missing or not...but hearing your voice earlier...there's no words for what I felt in that moment."

"I'm sorry that you almost died because of me." Jason kneels down in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Sonny...he was the one that did this...that had you taken and...you know."

"Why would he do that?" Elizabeth looked at him confusedly. "What did I ever do to Sonny?"

"Not you...me." Jason sighs, he didn't want to tell her like this. "He overheard me telling Johnny that I wanted to marry you...and that I was going to ask you to marry me the next time we saw each other."

Elizabeth was stunned into silence, sitting completely still, trying to take in his words. He wanted to marry her. He was going to ask her to marry him and Sonny got in the way. As many times as she replayed his words in her head, she could grasp it. Couldn't believe it. He was going to ask her to marry him. She, Elizabeth Webber, was going to be proposed to by the man she loved almost desperately.

"What about now?" she finally asks, fearing he'd pull back after everything that happened.

"What?"

"What about now?" she repeats herself. "Are you still going to ask me?"

"Do you want me to ask you?" he counters, sliding one of his hands over her stomach. "I handled Sonny...and that puts me in his place..."

"I don't care about that." Elizabeth says seriously. "What I care about is whether or not you want to marry me still...do you?"

"With every fiber of my being." he says with conviction. "I just want to be sure you want it, too."

"I do." she says seriously. "I really do, but we are going to have to really talk about this when we get back home."

"I need to ask you about this guy..."

"Lorenzo...he's a good guy, Jason." she says with conviction. "He didn't need to take care of me, but he did...all he wants is to make sure I'm okay before he leaves back to his family."

"How did he even get mixed up in this?"

"The same reason you did...his family." she says softly. "His mother was blackmailed and he's just trying to protect those he loves."

"Okay." he answers her unasked question. "Okay...we'll leave him alone."

"Thank you." she wraps her arms around him, needing to feel his body against hers. "God, its so good to be in your arms again. I never want you to let me go."

"I know the feeling."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


	20. Chapter 20

In spite of how they felt, they both knew that she couldn't leave until she got her health back to normal. Johnny and Francis suggested driving back to Port Charles, but that would be almost a forty hour drive and she'd never be able to make it all the way without getting worse along the way. No. Elizabeth and their baby's health is Jason's top priority. Even if that meant putting up with Lorenzo.

Unfortunately for the three men, they had to leave for a meeting with the five families. Jason had put it off long enough to find Elizabeth and he couldn't put it off any longer without upsetting the five families and starting problems he just didn't have the time for.

Jason wanted nothing more than to stay there with her, but even she pushed him out the door. She knows that Johnny and Francis wouldn't be telling him to go if it wasn't important. Now that he knows where she is, she's okay with letting him go to his meeting. It was a simple gesture of respect, letting the five families accept him as the new mob boss of Port Charles.

Though he knows its illogical and Elizabeth has proved she wanted only him, Jason was still jealous. Lorenzo has been playing Jason's role, taking care of Elizabeth and she lets him, making Jason feel out of place. He knows in his head that its nothing, that they simply forged a friendship in their hardships, but - to hell with it all - he's jealous.

"Emily, I'm fine." Elizabeth reassures her for the hundredth time, having spoken to Emily and Robin almost every hour on the hour for the last two days. "Yes...the baby is fine, too."

"Sue me for being worried." Emily counters. "You scared at least eight years off my life, you know that?"

"I didn't exactly plan my own kidnapping, Emmy." Elizabeth retorts, smiling slightly when Emily gasps. "I'm getting my strength back...slowly, but surely, and then we'll see each other again. I promise."

"Okay...okay." she sighs. "Anyway...Robin's here and..."

"Oh come on...I just talked to Robin half an hour ago." Elizabeth loved them to bits, but this was seriously crazy. "Which, by the way, was right before you called."

"Elizabeth is hanging up now, she'll call you after she has rested." Lorenzo says into the phone, after she hands it to him. "If you care about her as much as you seem to, you'll wait for her call and not call back."

Ending the call, Lorenzo hands it back to her. Sometimes, in his opinion, she was just too nice and that left it up to him to be rude. After Jason and the guards left, the tension seemed to vanish from the safe house, though Lorenzo credits the tension mostly to Jason.

"She means well." Elizabeth points out, moving to sit up on the couch.

"Yeah, they all mean well." Lorenzo shakes his head, setting tray table over her legs before setting the plate of food down on it. "You need your rest. If they meant well, they wouldn't call ever hour on the hour."

"I've been missing for three months...they're just anxious to have be back with them." she tries to explain, feeling the need to defend her friends.

"I get it okay?" Lorenzo assures, setting the glass of orange juice down beside her plate. "You don't think I'm worried about my mother and my baby brother? I am. That doesn't mean I'm going to call them every hour on the hour to put my mind at ease."

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth's voice is soft, gesturing for him to sit beside her, which he eventually does. "You must be really worried about them."

"I know they're safe." Lorenzo concedes. "My brother would have called if they weren't...I just...I worry."

"Its only natural to worry for those you love." she smiles slightly, mad at herself for not noticing how hard this has been for him. "I'm sorry you're not with them now."

"I'm not." Lorenzo says sincerely. "My brother will protect our family while I can't be there...I have no regrets in helping you."

"And I'll always be grateful for that." she replies, not really able to tell him just how much. "You're like my guardian angel."

"You should eat up and then get some rest." Lorenzo rises to his feet. "With the brooding trio gone, you should be able to get a decent night's sleep tonight."

"You know that they..."

"Mean well?" he finishes for her, shaking his head. "Don't they all?"

She watches him retreat back to his usual spot in the kitchen, realizing that he'd never really understand those in her life, probably never having that kind of connection with anyone but his family. She makes a silent promise that, if he'd let her, she'll show him the kind of connection a true friend can give.

Knowing it wouldn't happen in the next hour, she opts to focusing on her lunch, knowing her baby must be hungry by now. Elizabeth didn't think that Emily or Robin would listen to Lorenzo, but she was pleasantly surprised when she got through her meal and an entire movie without them calling back.

She loved them, appreciated their concern over her, but he was right. She needed her rest and reassuring both women took a lot of energy she just couldn't afford to give right now. Allowing him to take her dirty dishes, swearing she will cook him a meal one day, Elizabeth relaxes against the couch and falls into a peaceful slumber.

Lorenzo watches her as she sleeps, his protective instincts still very strong over her. Everything about her made him want to protect her, to make sure she was never harmed, that she lived a long and happy life. It was no surprise to him, though.

His mother had buried a baby girl when he was only five years old. Though he was still young, Lorenzo never forgot how much it hurt to have lost his baby sister. Ever since then, Lorenzo protected the women who entered his life, laying down his life on occasion, but this time was different. Something about her ignited every protective instinct in him.

Shaking his head, Lorenzo proceeds to wash the soiled dishes. Soon enough, she'll be out of his life and he'll return to his family, where he belongs. For now, he'll just accept his need to protect her and allow it to rule his instincts because the time will come that they go their separate ways and that will be that.

"Look at me like that one more time and I will shoot you." Jason snaps at both Johnny and Francis.

"Man, you know that..." Johnny starts to say but stops long enough to duck when Jason throws him the alarm clock.

"Shut up." Jason states. "We're here to have the damn meeting and then I'll be going back to her. I don't want to hear your doubts and your assumptions...you hear me? Just shut up!"

"I was just going to say that its normal to feel threatened by him." Johnny says, using Francis as a shield. "They've been stuck together for almost two months...its understandable that they've grown to be friends."

"Lets go, stupid." Francis shoves Johnny out the door. "The meeting is in half an hour."

"I know!" Jason states, turning his back on them.

"She loves you, Jason." Francis tells him what he already knows. If only Johnny would shut up with trying to make him feel better, doing a fucked up job at it. "Whatever connection she has with Lorenzo...you're the one she wants."

Leaving it at that, Francis closes the door, walking off to do perimeter with Johnny.

"Morgan." he answers his cellphone, not bothering to check who it was.

"Jason...its me." her voice calms him immediately, the love in her voice vibrant. "I miss you, so much!"

"I miss you, too." he says with conviction, cursing Johnny and his big ass mouth. Jason knows he meant well, they always do, but he was close to strangling his friend where he stood. "How're you feeling?"

"A little better." she admits, sitting up on the couch, stretching slightly. "I just took a nap and it did me some good."

"That's good." he sits down on the bed. "I'm just going to handle this and I'll be back with you soon. I promise."

"I know you will." she says softly. "Jason..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"I love you, too!" he says with conviction, needing to hear her say it more than he ever thought possible. "I'll see you soon, Liz."

"I know." she smiles, closing her eyes as she allows herself to pretend he's near her and not a country away. "Be safe."

"You, too." he replies. "I don't want to...but I have to go."

"Say it one more time before you hang up...please."

"I love you, Elizabeth!" he says, his voice husky, needing to be beside her now more than ever.

"I love you, too!" she says, etching the words he spoke to her memory. "See you soon."

"See you soon."

And, despite what they wanted, they both end the call. Wishing that tomorrow would come already. The meeting would be over and he'd be on his way back to her.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews!**

**Appreciate them a lot. Can't wait to hear from you about this update.**

**Take Care, **

**- ROCkER**


	21. Chapter 21

Idiots the lot of them, Luis is certain, there couldn't be any other explanation for it. People play each other, whether they realize it or not, they all play each other to some extent. They play each other for marriage or they play each other for sex, some even playing each other just to play each other.

Luis will never understand the ritual and he doubts he ever will. Now, his lethal career choice, that's something he'll always understand. The art of killing is something that Luis has perfected over the years and almost always takes great pleasure from.

Normal people have connections, strings attached that hold them to society, and - in all honesty - he'd have to admit that he has that, too. Only his is not that of a progeny or a loving wife. No. His ties are that of his mother and baby brother. On occasion, it includes his twin brother, but not always.

Like day and night, he and his brother could not be more different. Though they see the same face when they happen to look in a mirror, Luis remains amazed at how different they truly are. While he takes great pleasure in killing his enemies and taking control of any given situation, Lorenzo hates the sight of guns - only using them under great duress.

Where Luis has no heart, Lorenzo has an enormous one. He shouldn't find fault in that, but he does. Where Luis is cold and particular, Lorenzo is warm and caring, always willing to help strangers out of bind. Mostly women, but still.

Like Yin and Yang, Luis and Lorenzo are their polar opposites. Its almost poetic if you thought about it, but - to Luis - it is nothing but an inconvenience. With a sigh, Luis runs a weary hand down his face, his job was far from done. Thanks to his brother, his job has been made a million times harder.

Not that he minded the challenge, but it was - like he had said - a simple inconvenience. Something his brother seemed to not care about because - once again - he is taking care of yet another damsel in distress. Little Miss Elizabeth Webber. What his mother and brother see in the woman, Luis will never understand.

Sure she was pretty, but she wasn't worth dying over. Something neither of them agreed with, he might add, and that made him both confused and furious. Here he is, trying to protect them and ensure they lived a long happy life, and they just couldn't follow simple instructions.

"Luis, are you leaving?" his mother's soft voice speaks from behind him.

"Yes, ma." he says simply, checking to ensure that he has what he needs. "I'll be back by dusk."

"Have you...you..." she tries to find the right words, but can only think of one way to phrase it. "Have you heard from your brother? He promised to call with any updates on the young woman."

"He called. She's fine." Luis replies shortly, ruder than he intended.

"Luis..."

"I'm running on a tight schedule." he replies with a sigh, running one hand through his hair. "Stay inside with him until I get back. If he gets fussy, take him into the backyard, but keep the guards close."

"Luis...sooner or later we'll have to talk about this." she says in that all knowing tone, making his blood boil without even knowing.

"Once again you've mistaken me for your other son." Luis says sharply, zipping up his bag and slinging it on his back. "He does the talking...I do the killing."

"Luis..."

"Just stop, ma." he says seriously, wishing she'd just accept him for what and who he is. "I'm too old to change and I wouldn't even if I could. If you and Lorenzo want to protect that woman, that's fine, just don't expect me to go along with it."

"You're angry." it wasn't a question, rather a statement.

"What do you think?" Luis counters. "You and Lorenzo risk your lives for a complete stranger. She was supposed to be killed in that explosion! If not for Jason Morgan killing Corinthos, it would've fallen on me! Do you get that? I would've had to kill him to prevent him from coming after you."

"I'm sorry it caused problems for you..."

"You're not getting it." Luis snaps. "You never get it. I will kill a million people, hell, I'd kill every last person on this planet if it ensure you both are safe. The point is that you should do more to stay out of the damn line of fire."

"I know you don't care about this, but that woman was innocent." she says carefully. "She didn't deserve what was done to her...neither did her unborn child."

"I'm running out of time." Luis says plainly, knowing that he would never see things the way she and Lorenzo do. "He said she's regaining her strength and her baby should be just fine...now I have to go."

Kissing her forehead, Luis leaves their safe house, needing to clean up the loose ends left dangling. It had taken him a while, but he's finally tracked down the son of a bitch and it was time to finally put an end to that waste of space.

Admittedly, it had been his brother who encouraged him to go after the last remaining immediate threat, but he would have done so without the suggestion. Not right away, of course, but he would have done it. Groaning inwardly, Luis gets into his truck and heads off to deal with his unfinished business.

Speeding down the back roads, a thought hits him like a semi-trailer truck, he should know since he was hit by one once. Storing the little epiphany in the back of his mind, Luis continues on to his destination. One more life about to be taken by his hands.

"Sit and shut up." Luis says casually, his gun trained on his mark. "Go on."

"How did you find me?"

"I really wish people like you could come up with a better question than that." Luis sighs, slamming the door shut. "Always the same stupid, pointless question. Why does it matter the how? Shouldn't you be asking me why I bothered? Or maybe...what I plan to do now that I have?"

"You're here to kill me." he states plainly. "I'm merely curious as to the how because I make it a point to be impossible to track."

"Not impossible enough, apparently." Luis shrugs. "You know, for a Ruiz, you're one of the easiest marks I've had to track down."

With that comment, Luis knew he struck a nerve. The Ruiz family pride themselves in always being untraceable. Impossible to find. Unfortunately for this particular Ruiz, his family wants him gone almost as much as he does. An utter disgrace is the phrase they had used when telling Luis where Manny was.

"Normally I'd give you the gun and give you the chance to kill yourself before I did my part." Luis says, leaning against the door. "But then you'd probably do something stupid, like trying to shoot me, and then I'd have to shoot you anyway and it would be a waste of time."

Luis shrugs, pushing away from the door.

"Normally I'd love a good challenge, but you really just don't do it for me." Luis sighs, walking over to him. "I guess taking my time with you after you're dead will have to do."

Staring him in the eyes, Luis pulls the trigger, putting an end to the last immediate threat to his family. And, even if it wasn't intentionally, the threat to Elizabeth Webber. In all honesty, he had hoped that Manny would have put up more of a fight, try to save whatever life he still had left, but he didn't get that.

Taking his time, Luis cuts Manny up into a hell of a lot of pieces, thriving on the blood before lighting to pieces on fire. While the pieces burn, he sets up the bombs, always one to issue poetic justice where he can, and leaving the building. His job is done.

"Yeah?" his brother answers his phone.

"Hey, little brother." Luis says mockingly, driving a good distance before detonating the bomb, smirking as the explosion reaches his ears. "Its done...your little princess is safe."

"Thank you." Lorenzo states, both knowing that he didn't want to have to thank his brother, but also knowing that he appreciated it. "Are you heading back?"

"Not just yet." Luis admits, taking a left turn, heading for his brother. "I need something from you now."

"What could you possible "need" from me?" Lorenzo counters, knowing he probably wouldn't like it.

"Elizabeth Webber's DNA." he says simply. "I'm driving by your little out of the way shack...I don't care how you do it, get me something with viable DNA."

"Why?"

"Just do it." Luis snaps, ending the call. "The why is for me to know, little brother, and for you to find out."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews!**

**Appreciate them a lot. Can't wait to hear from you about this update.**

**Take Care,**

**- ROCkER**


	22. Chapter 22

Lorenzo has been pacing the living room, his brother's request playing through his mind. Her DNA. What the hell did he need that for? As hard as he has racked his brain, Lorenzo just couldn't fathom what his brother could possibly want with her DNA.

Glancing over at the door to the bedroom, Elizabeth long since having gone to bed, Lorenzo continues to try and figure out what his brother could possibly need her DNA for and what exactly was he up to. A couple hours later, the door opens up and in its wake stands his brother.

"Brother, dear." Luis smirks, walking into the safe house before closing the door. "Don't look so sad to see me."

"What do you want with it, Luis?" Lorenzo counters, needing to know.

"Just need to settle an epiphany of sorts." Luis says simply, folding his arms across his chest. "Either you give it to me or I can get it myself...your choice."

"Not until you tell me why you need it."

"Look, little brother, if I'm right, I'll tell you." Luis concedes. "But if not, no harm no foul. Don't make me cause the girl harm to get what I want."

"Dammit." Lorenzo mutters, walking over to the kitchen to pull out a bag with a needle in it. "From her IV line."

"Smart." Luis smiles slightly. "As always, its been interesting to see you, little brother."

"Whether you're right or wrong, I want to know why you needed it." Lorenzo says sternly, standing in the door way as Luis walks out of the house.

"If you say so, little brother." Luis executes a mock salute before getting in his vehicle before speeding away.

Closing the door, Lorenzo makes a small prayer that his brother doesn't do anything stupid to cause harm to Elizabeth. Even if he'd rather die than harm his brother, Lorenzo will kills his brother before he lets him do anything to hurt Elizabeth.

Settling in for the night, he picks up a magazine and relaxes into the couch. Thanks to his brother, Lorenzo doubts he'll be getting any kind of sleep tonight, his mind running through all the possibilities in regard to his brother, hating that he's even considering killing his own twin brother.

"That had to be the most pointless meeting ever!" Johnny groans, flopping down on his bed, seriously needing sleep.

"No meeting is pointless as long as it keeps the peace." Francis counters, kicking off his shoes. "Now shut your trap so I can get to sleep."

"Whatever you say." Johnny turns his head, eyeing his cellphone, a thought running through his mind. "Ah, hell."

Pulling himself out of bed, Johnny grabs his cellphone before walking out of the room, knowing that Francis would kick his ass if he made his call inside their room. Leaning against the wall, Johnny dials Emily's number, hoping she's awake to talk to him.

"Yeah?" her sleepy voice greets him over the phone.

"Hey." he says softly. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." Emily sits up in bed, rubbing at her eyes. "You heading back to Lizzie yet?"

"Not just yet." Johnny says sadly. "We're leaving first thing in the morning."

"Oh...how did the meeting go?"

"It went smoothly." he admits, running a weary hand down his face. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she says with confusion.

"I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want right now." Johnny sighs, slumping down until he's sitting on the floor. "I want what you want...I really do, Em...I'm just afraid that something like this can happen to us and...I couldn't handle it if anything happened to you. What more when we have kids?"

"Oh, Johnny." Emily slides her hand over her heart, wishing he were there so she could wrap him up in her arms. "I know its scary...I'm scared, too. Just because we're scared, it doesn't mean that we should let fear rule our life and tell us how to live it."

"Watching Jason go through this...I'm amazed that he hasn't completely fallen apart." Johnny says on a hushed tone. "I know we found Elizabeth...but it was merely luck...I don't think I'd ever be strong enough to go through something like this."

"People get kidnapped all the time, its sad, but its true." Emily says seriously. "Its a miracle if families get their loved ones back."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" Johnny counters. "Because it doesn't."

"What I'm trying to say is that those people work within the limits of the law." Emily explains. "If Jason left it up to the cops, do you really think they would have found Elizabeth? They would have stopped after the explosion, but you guys kept going. You kept going until you found her and you did, Johnny, you found her. I have no doubt in my mind that you'd be strong enough to find me, god forbid it ever happens, but you will be strong enough. I know it."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" he whispers, fighting off the tears in his eyes.

"That's easy...you deserved me by being you." Emily says simply. "I love you, Johnny O'Brien! Whether we get married in a year or ten years...I'm always going to love you! There's no getting rid of me...not now, not ever."

"I love with my whole being, beautiful!" Johnny says wholeheartedly. "Do me a favor?"

"Name it." she says without hesitation.

"Wait...first, are you wearing my jacket?"

"What do you think?" she says, teasingly.

"Okay..." he smiles slightly, imagining her in it. "Open the small pocket on the inner part of the left side...reach inside and tell me what's there."

Confused, but not wanting to question him, Emily does as he asks and nearly goes shell-shocked from what she finds.

"I will do this the right way...I promise you that, but this will have to do, for now." Johnny closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Emily Bowen Quartermaine, will you throw away any form of common sense and marry me?"

"You crazy boy, of course I'll marry you!" she says through her tears. "I love you, so much! You better come home soon so I can show you just how much!"

"As fast as I can, you can count on that." Johnny says with conviction. "I'm sorry I did it like this, you deserve so much more..."

"And you'll give me it once you get back to me." Emily cuts him off. "For right now, this is perfect. Besides, we were never ones for the traditional styles anyway."

"Yeah...I guess we never were." he admits. "Can you do me another favor?"

"Sure." Emily says softly.

"Don't put it on your finger yet...I want to be the one to do it."

"I have a chain I can use to make it a necklace." she replies with understanding. "Thank you, Johnny...I know how hard this is for you...just, thank you."

"I want what you want...I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

"I know." she lays back down in bed. "You're my whole world...I understand what its like to be scared...but I won't give you up for anything."

"Same here." Johnny smiles slightly. "Go back to sleep, beautiful girl. I'll call again when I can."

"I love you, Johnny O'Brien!"

"I love you, Emily Quartermaine." he says on a hushed tone. "God, how I love you."

Walking into his own personal lab, Luis plops down in front of his equipment, it pays to do stuff yourself. A quote he lives by: "If you want something done right, be smart enough to do it your damn self or suffer the consequences.

"Now, dear little Elizabeth Webber." Luis mutters, pulling out the needle. "Lets see if I'm right. If I am...well...someone's gonna have hell to pay."

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, we hope you keep up with them.**

**-ROCkER & The Jackal's Vixen-**


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